Italian club denies Massimo Cellino takeover bid
Italian team Brescia has made the unusual move of denying outright rumours of a takeover bid by businessman and Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino.
In a statement on its website the Lombardy club said: “In relation to the insistent news about the impending sale of the company, Giuseppe Pirola, the professional in charge of receiving and evaluating any expressions of interest, declares that the company has not been sold and it is not in the moment in negotiations and, in particular , there is no contact, direct or indirect, with Massimo Cellino.”
Rumous have abounded for months that Cellino was looking to make a move back to Italy with the Serie B team. He previously owned Serie A team, Cagliari Calcio, which he sold in June 2014 to enable him to acquire Leeds.
The plans would allegedly see him leave Leeds United. Cellino sold a 50% stake in the Yorkshire club o Andrea Radrizzani, a fellow Italian businessman.
He had spent the past year moving into position for a full sale, acquiring the remaining minority shareholding of Gulf Finance House, the former owners of the club in September 2016.
Cellino has been faced with opposition to his ownership of the club, through bans and hundreds of thousands of pounds in fines handed down by the Football Association. A rat of managerial changes, employment tribunals and underwhelming on-field performances have made it a difficult situation for the club and the Italian businessman.
New co-owner Andrea Radrizzani has the option to buy Cellino’s stake in the club at a later date, and has already announced intentions to look at buying back LUFC’s home ground at Elland Road.
