Bernard Arnault has opened up to the idea of buying AC Milan from Elliott Management, according to a report, and he has huge plans for the club if he were to take over.
It has been claimed in the media that Arnault – who recently became the richest man in fashion and has a net worth of over $102bn (as per Wikipedia) – is interested in buying the Rossoneri from Elliott.
Denials came from the Louis Vuitton group, yet more rumours then emerged claiming Arnault is still interested in the idea of buying Milan, and then unsurprisingly even more denials arrived.
So here we go again. La Repubblica have gone big with their report by claiming that pressure from economic advisors since may has forced Arnault to consider buying Milan.
If he were to take over, it would have ‘potentially sensational repercussions’: his major target would be to bring both Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola to the club, or alternatively Kylian Mbappe and Jurgen Klopp.
The paper even quotes Arnault as having said: “If I ever had to take a step like that [buying a club], I would like the best footballer in the world and the best coach,” a clear statement of his intent.
Meanwhile, Elliott Management’s project is somewhat stalling. The mediocre results of the team, the difficulties faced with the new stadium project and the 2019 budget being €146m in the red do not help.
Meanwhile, the stagnation in sponsorships just a few months away from the expiry of the contract with Emirates, the tensions between the sporting and financial side and the weakening position of CEO Gazidis weakened just add more adversity – meaning Elliott are not willing to invest much more.
Repubblica go on to add that the potential opening of Arnault is on the table of Paul Singer, and if a sale were to happen it would be before the end of the year and dependant on San Siro.
Elliott are determined to build a new structure, while Arnault and co. would push towards a re-structuring of the current San Siro.