Inter’s current owners Suning are one their way out of the club and will in all likelihood be replaced by private equity fund BC Partners, an Italian media report has claimed today.
Corriere dello Sport explain in their print edition that BC Partners have started the due diligence process of Inter’s accounts, a process that typically takes a few weeks.
While such a process does not confirm a deal will 100% take place, it indicates that there is a general agreement between the parties because the due diligence process is not a cheap one to conduct and is not something done without the prospect of it leading to something concrete, in this case, an offer.
BC Partners will acquire a majority stake in Inter from Suning because it would not make sense for them to obtain a minority stake in a company that is making structural losses, not on the stock market (therefore making it difficult to re-sell shares) and because they would not be able to dictate strategies and appoint management.
There are two possible scenarios in that Suning could either partially or entirely leave Inter.
The report goes on to explain that BC Partners could be attracted to the potential financial returns available to them from the new stadium project, and there is also the media company set up by Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino, to enhance the television rights money.
It cannot be excluded that BC Partners see Inter as an access point to the financial returns that Italian football will gain from this initiative.
CdS go on to explain if BC Partners do acquire a majority stake in Inter, one of the first things they will do is carry out a major restructuring of the club, with the aim of sorting out the club’s finances.
A similar strategy to what Elliott Management introduced at AC Milan could be introduced by BC Partners at Inter in that there will be a focus on signing young and cheap players with lots of room for growth.
In any case, the report concludes that it is inevitable that the Suning era at Inter is coming to an end.