Matteo Salvini has attempted to offer an explanation for the cancelling of the Growth Decree tax relief scheme, describing it as ‘a choice of fairness and common sense’.
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During a recent feature we highlighted how the Growth Decree functions exactly in terms of numbers while presenting some of the perceived pros and cons, plus the impact that its removal could have on future operations for Milan such as renewals.
Last night, ANSA among other sources reported that the Decree – which was initially believed to be set for a slight extension to February – will be completely scrapped. This decision was confirmed after a ‘heated debate’ among government ministers.
Salvini is an Italian politician who has served as Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport since 2022, and he is famously a quite outspoken Milan fan.
He published a tweet in which he outlined the reasoning behind the abolition of the Growth Decree, framing it as a pro-Italian policy rather than one aimed at making things more difficult for clubs.
“The government’s objective is to help Italian football also and above all by valorising the nurseries. For this reason, the League decided to stop the rule that allows foreign players to pay less taxes.
I am convinced that it is a choice of fairness and common sense,” he said.
“The Growth Decree allowed clubs to purchase athletes from abroad at a discount: extraordinary help, which lasted for years, which should have been an opportunity to relaunch our championships. Making them more competitive and attractive.
“This was not the case, and the reaction of the clubs surprises me: it seems that the problem in our Serie A is the lack of a sort of citizen’s income for players bought across the border.
“I put my face to it, as always. If other colleagues have different ideas, I invite them to discuss them publicly too. The good of Italian sport comes above all from football: I am open to any debate and proposal.”
Sky pointed out today that Milan are the Italian club who benefit the most from the Decree and that this season’s wage bill would suffer an increase of €22.45m overall if it were scrapped, as a working example (it would only affect future contracts).
