Ex Inter Milan CEO Predicts Italian Nerazzurri Takeover Unlikely: ‘The Money Is Elsewhere’

Former Nerazzurri CEO Ernesto Paolillo believes that it is very unlikely that a takeover of Inter Milan by Italian owners is in the cards.

The former executive gave his thoughts on the matter to Milan-based newspaper Il GIorno in an interview published in yesterday’s print edition, via FCInterNews.

Now it’s official. US-based fund Oaktree Capital have begun the process of taking over as Inter owners from Suning.

The fund will exercise their right to repossess the previous owners controlling shares in the Nerazzurri after the latter defaulted on their debt from a loan in the spring of 2021.

For the past three years, the sense has been that Oaktree would not have much of an interest in running Inter.

Reports indicated that the US fund would prefer to see Suning sell the club.

And alternatively, if Oaktree were to take over, that the fund would aim to sell Inter.

So far, however, the indications are that Oaktree are ready to keep hold of Inter for some time.

The fund’s official statement on the matter suggests plans for the Nerazzurri.

Paolillo: “Italian Takeover Of Inter Milan Unlikely”

Oaktree will, however, certainly be ready to listen to offers for Inter.

Therefore, there are questions about where the interest in purchasing the club will come from.

There have been many rumours regarding possible interest in buying the Nerazzurri over the last few years.

These have come from all over the world. Links to American individuals and funds, the Middle East, and even a Finnish billionaire in the form of Thomas ZIlliacus have arisen.

But one thing that has largely been conspicuously absent from the rumours mill has been links to an Italian takeover.

And in the view of former Inter CEO Paolillo, that is likely to continue to be the case.

As far as his view on the situation, Paolillo said that “We all know the rules that investment funds operate by.”

“Even the very serious and high-profile ones like Oaktree.”

“The objective is always to maximize revenues,” Paolillo noted. “The horizon of time that these funds give themselves to sell is no more than five years.”

“It’s clear that we can’t see this takeover as being a long-term solution,” Paolillo argued.

The former Inter CEO then predicted that “I don’t think there are any Italian entrepreneurs who are ready to invest in the football sector.”

“Therefore, I think that the investment will come from elsewhere.”

Paoillo noted that “There are still signs from the US remaining, but as we’ve seen it’s mainly funds.”

And as far as the reports of interest in buying Inter from Saudi Arabia, the former CEO noted that “You can see where the money is.”