Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has opened the door to potentially vending Napoli for the right price tag, as American entrepreneur Matt Rizzetta, who’s the frontman of a larger consortium, has shown interest, La Repubblica reports.
The two met very recently, although there’s not an ongoing negotiation at this stage. The preliminary talks have been going on for months, but the parties are distant on the team’s valuation. The patron wants €2B, while the suitors could tender up to €1.3B.
De Laurentiis had gently rejected the offer for Napoli in the spring, but then the conversations restarted. Still, there’s a long way to go before the ownership change could come to fruition.
The governor alluded to the sale in public remarks.
“If somebody is willing to repay my 25-year efforts accordingly, he should come forward, and we’ll weigh the proposal. Matt is a funny guy and could be cast in one of my Christmas movies.”
Rizzetta has already acquired Serie C side Campobasso and revamped the local basketball team.
“I’ve come here to build an ambitious multi-sport project. Football is the most important piece of the entire vision. Our goal is to get there eventually.”
He could get support from local authorities, as he could help renovate the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Instead, De Laurentiis has been trying to get the blueprint for a new arena approved, to no avail so far, which contributes to his lofty demand.
Our Take on Napoli and De Laurentiis
Since they haven’t piled up debt like other teams by controlling their spending, it wouldn’t be difficult to find a buyer if the time ever comes when their governor decides that the business needs too-rich investments to succeed.