Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) would be foolish to buy only a minority stake at Inter, according to a leading Italian journalist and football finance expert.
PIF are thought to be interested in purchasing a 30% stake in the Nerazzurri and could pay as much as €300 million to acquire said stake from Suning.
However, Il Sole 24 Ore reporter Carlo Festa cannot understand why PIF would be interested in such an arrangement.
“From a financial point of view it makes no sense that a fund would pay over the odds with €300 million for a minority stake to not have any power (at the club),” he tweeted.
“The Saudis might need visibility in the west to improve their international image, but they are not silly.”
Suning are thought to have three options for securing investment at Inter, with PIF facing competition from BC Partners and Fortress.
Zhang Jindong and his son Steven reportedly have different visions on what do with the Nerazzurri though, with Jindong more keen to sell the club than Steven.
In any case, Suning must resolve Inter’s financial problems by the end of March with a series of important UEFA deadlines on the horizon.
Dal punti di vista finanziario non ha alcuna logica che un fondo ti strapaga una minoranza 300 milioni per non contare nulla. I sauditi avranno bisogno di visibilità in occidente per migliorare la loro immagine internazionale, ma non sono sprovveduti
— carlo festa (@carlopaolofesta) March 4, 2021
