China national team boss Marcello Lippi has released an interview with Il Corriere della Sera just a few days before the Milan derby, which is set to be the first game in history with foreign ownerships running both clubs.
Chinese company Suning acquired the majority stake in Inter last summer, whilst a Chinese consortium named Sino-Europe are set to buy the 99.4% in AC Milan.
A positive end of negotiations should be just around the corner as two Rossoneri shareholders’ meeting have been scheduled in two different dates at the beginning of December (3rd and 13th), but even if Sino Europe are close to finalize the deal, nobody is still aware of all the investors’ identities.
Lippi, a former Juventus and Inter boss, knows China very well. He’s not only the new manager of their National team but remained in charge of Ghuangzhou Evergrande for many years playing a big part in developing Chinese football.
He has told Il Corriere della Sera that identities of new Chinese owners are unknown to many people in China.
“Honestly I don’t know who they are. I’ve tried to ask some executives, but nobody could tell me who the new AC Milan owners are. However, I am reading that the end of negotiations is close.”
According to the Italian paper, Chinese entrepreneur Yonghong Li is going to take the bigger slice of AC Milan stakes with 25%.
Lippi has also revealed that a Chinese club, Shanghai Greenland, are trying to hire Roberto Mancini as their new boss.
