Berlusconi Seen Sellling AC Milan Majority Stake To Gazprom

C Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi is preparing to sell his 25–30% stake of the football club to Russian gas giants Gazprom.

The Italian Prime Minister will pocket around €180 million from the deal, but will lose the status of majority owner after 24 years in charge.

Italian Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Berlusconi has discussed the transaction with none other than his close friend – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Milan, who finished the 2009/10 Serie A season in third place, is in need of cash to strengthen their lineup. According to the paper, the No. 1 midseason priority for the club is Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, whom German side Wolfsburg will not let go for no less than €40 million.

Berlusconi’s club is also in search of a new coach as Brazilian Leonardo Araújo left the team at the end of the Italian championship due to unsatisfactory results.

Earlier, it was reported that Berlusconi wants to see Luciano Spalletti as the manager of the Rossoneri.

Spalletti currently works for the Russian Premier League side Zenit Saint Petersburg, which is owned by Gazprom. It is assumed that the Italian specialist will leave the Russian club this summer.

Meanwhile, Gazprom’s press service denied the report in the Italian paper, claiming they are not in talks with Berlusconi.

AC Milan is one of the biggest clubs in European football, which has won 17 Italian championship titles and triumphed in the Champions League seven times.

Source: RT