Lazio have categorically denied receiving a purchase offer from JPMorgan Chase for a reported €450 million.
The Background
The club has undergone what has arguably been its most difficult campaign since Claudio Lotito’s takeover in 2004. The organized fan groups have revolted against the increasingly unpopular president, whom they accuse of putting his best interests ahead of the club’s. The majority of the supporters have been boycotting the Biancocelesti’s home fixtures since late January, urging him to sell the club.
For his part, the Italian senator is accusing his detractors of adopting a political agenda and promoting propaganda against him. But while he has been staunchly expressing his desire to maintain his grasp on the club and eventually pass it to his son, Enrico, some sources in the Italian media have been reporting negotiations over a possible sale, with various entities identified as interested parties.
JPMorgan Chase Interested in Buying Lazio?
On Sunday morning, Il Tempo journalist Luigi Bisignani (via La Lazio Siamo Noi) urged Lotito to make a brave decision by stepping down at the right time, while claiming that the 69-year-old had rejected a takeover bid from JPMorgan Chase worth €450, presented to him by one of the bank’s top officials, Enrico Monti, who is also involved in the Stadio Flaminio Project.
Lazio Quash Takeover Rumor
In the afternoon, the official Lazio website was quick to deny the story, insisting that such an offer was never presented.
With reference to the article published today by Il Tempo and authored by Luigi Bisignani, concerning an alleged €450 million offer by JP Morgan for the acquisition of SS Lazio SpA, the Company firmly and unequivocally denies the accuracy of such report.
No proposal, expression of interest, preliminary approach or communication of any kind relating to a potential acquisition of the Company has ever been received from JP Morgan or from any party acting on its behalf. Accordingly, the information contained in the article is entirely unfounded and lacks any factual basis.
In the interest of ensuring fair, accurate and transparent information to shareholders, investors, supporters and the market as a whole, SS Lazio SpA formally requests that Il Tempo publish, without delay and with equivalent prominence, a correction of the inaccurate statements contained in the article.
Lazio End of the Season Awards: The Tops & Flops of a Chaotic 25/26 Campaign
While the reported bid might indeed be false news, it should also be remembered that the Lazio hierarchy had denied stories in the past that were eventually proven correct, like last summer’s transfer ban, which they initially refuted through an official statement.
For anyone even hoping this rumour to be true, don’t be happy. JP Morgan Chase is an American bank, with its shareholders being Vanguard, Black rock and KKR for example. Not as bad as ex ACM owner Paul Singer from Elliott management, who made money bankrupting countries and businesses. (Also backer of Trump)
For me if the day comes that Lazio gets sold to something like JP Morgan, is for me the day that Lazio as a club has ended. It will have turned into an American asset.
U right brother… u very right
As much as I dislike Lotito, but I prefer him owning Lazio to some Americans.
What would these Yankees do next? Claim they all founded football like how they always claim they own the land of America?
I’m sure that predecessors of Sioux, Pawnee, Cherokee, Chomance, Apache and more are rolling in their graves.
The Americans will probably bring in Pulisic as it is the only player those clowns know.