Leeds United chairman and majority owner Andrea Radrizzani is in Genoa to push through a takeover of Serie A club Sampdoria. Radrizzani has been linked with potential investment in a number of Italian clubs in recent months and it seems as though he is playing a leading role in Gestio Capital’s attempted purchase of Sampdoria.
The Italian is a member of the asset management fund which is bidding to prop up Sampdoria, who have fallen into financial difficulty and risk bankruptcy if their considerable debts are not paid. The outfit have already been relegated from the top flight and they hope a takeover will allow them to start over and begin rebuilding in the Italian second tier.
Radrizzani has been pictured at Sampdoria’s training base on Monday morning and he has briefly spoken to Italian reporters about his hopes of completing the deal.
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"Let's hope, fingers crossed,” he said when asked about the possibility of buying the club.
The news comes less than 24 hours after Leeds’ 3-1 defeat against West Ham United at the London Stadium. That’s a defeat that leaves the club staring down the barrel of relegation as they sit two points adrift of safety with just one match left to play this season.
Sam Allardyce’s side can still survive, of course, but relegation promises to have a rather large impact on Radrizzani’s proposed sale of Leeds to 49ers Enterprises in the summer. The chairman purchased Leeds in 2017, but over the last few years, he has seen 49ers Enterprises come on board and steadily increase their stake in the club.
The Americans currently hold 44 per cent of shares, and it seems a deal is in place to complete a full takeover this summer if Leeds were to stay in the Premier League this season. Relegation would serve to complicate the matter considerably, but, according to the Athletic, the Americans would still be eager to take complete control at Elland Road.
The report claims talks have intensified in recent weeks regarding contingency plans and what might happen if Leeds were to drop out of the top tier, but a takeover would still be on the cards. Any deal is likely to be for a reduced fee in such an instance.
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