The Mayor of Milan Beppe Sala has claimed the latest new stadium project is the ‘last chance’ to keep AC Milan and Inter at San Siro.
It has emerged in the last 24 hours that Inter and Milan have officially sent Sala a non-binding expression of interest for the future acquisition of San Siro and the surrounding area.
The fact that it is not ‘binding’ in any way allows the two clubs to possibly take a step back in the future, given that the Rossoneri are also proceeding with their San Donato project too.
However, it is still a formal step, while Milan and Inter expect the Council to deliver the Revenue Agency’s appraisal with a precise assessment of the value of San Siro and the surrounding areas soon. The figure has not yet been revealed, but it should be around €200m.
Sala was arriving for an event at the Palazzo Marino – the City Hall – and he was asked by reporters about the latest news regarding San Siro, with his comments via Calciomercato.com.
“I hope this is the right time for San Siro. Let’s show the teams the values of the Revenue Agency and see what can be done. This is clearly the last chance,” he began.
“The goal is, if the teams keep going, to reach a conclusion before next year’s holidays. So let’s formally say the transfer of the stadium and areas before the summer of 2025.
“We’ll see the value of the area with the teams now. We’ll show it to them first when we meet them, I think it’s right to talk about it with them first.
“The expression of interest is a great novelty because it goes from an idea of surface rights to purchase and I would say that for the Council and for the people of Milan it is better.
“In this way we collect funds that we can reinvest and I think that they will be diverted directly to public housing and to trying to do something for the neighbourhood that needs it so much.
“Let’s take into account the work already done, the public debate and the work done by the City Council that had given instructions to the board.
“I will report to the Council in the next few days. If there is a new stadium there will be a part of the population that will wonder why we did not keep San Siro, and I understand.
“We tried and we did not succeed. I will bear the cross for this issue, but you will not get everyone to agree anyway. The important thing is to make decisions and not continue with this drip of recriminations and controversies that are not good for the city.”