Steven Zhang is getting help from a key Suning official in his quest to sort Inter’s finances, a report in the Italian media revealed today.
Gazzetta.it explained that Zhang would decide how to resolve the club’s economic problems with Yang Yang, a 45-year-old director who is in charge of all Suning’s purchases.
Yang lives in Nanjing but has been part of Inter’s board of directors since 2016, having graduated with a masters in Economy from the University of Shanghai.
He also had experience in the investment bank industry with CITIC Securities (China International Trust and Investment Company) and CITIC Securities International, before joining Suning.
Zhang is thought to be negotiating with Bain Capital and Oaktree for financing deals worth around €250 million, which will help Inter pay their outstanding salaries and transfer fees due to players and other clubs.
Inter’s directors are in constant contact with Zhang but the search for this deal is entirely a matter for Suning, as shown by Yang’s prominent role in the matter.
Yang became one of five new members of Inter’s board in 2016 with Zhang, Mi Xin, Liu Jun and Ren Jun, explaining at the time that the Nerazzurri were part of Suning’s ‘internationalisation’ strategy.
“We need to promote football in order to globalise ourselves and make us better known around the world,” he explained.
“Inter are a great team with lots of fans and a long and glorious history, which means they have a huge intrinsic value.
“We will use this value to relaunch the club in an economic sense.”
