Watch: Joseph Portelli ‘dreams’ of buying Italian Serie B side Sampdoria
Ħamrun Spartans president looking at other Italian clubs as well
Ħamrun Spartans president Joseph Portelli has said it would be a dream to buy Serie B side Sampdoria but revealed that he is currently pursuing other options as he looks to take charge of an Italian football club.
Back in September, Portelli announced that he was looking to get into Italian football by buying an Italian club.
Since then, speculation has been rife about which club he might target, with several names circulating, particularly given the precarious financial situations of many Italian teams.
One of the clubs mentioned was Sampdoria, a decorated side with a rich history, having won the 1991 Serie A title and finished as European Cup runners-up in 1992.
Currently, the Blucerchiati are battling to stay in Serie B. While their struggles on the pitch are evident, their off-field troubles are even more significant, as they face substantial financial debt.
The club is currently owned by Gestio Capital, a finance firm led by Matteo Manfredi.
Portelli made no secret of his eventual interest in acquiring the club, but stopped short of confirming any concrete intentions to do so.
“The truth is, as I always stated, that if God forbid, Sampdoria goes bankrupt, it would be the ambition of every president and investor to take over such a club.
"So if, God forbid, they go into administration, I would not even blink twice about it, even if they start in Serie D,” Portelli told Times of Malta.
“Obviously, such a club attracts multiple investors and personally, I am also pursuing other clubs, so I won’t sit and just wait for Sampdoria. However, if you’d ask me what’s in my wishlist, Sampdoria are certainly there, even if it means starting from Serie D (Italy's fourth tier).”
Read the full story on sport.timesofmalta.com