Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 8y

Palermo president weighing two takeover bids from U.S. and Asia

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has confirmed he is pondering two offers to buy his club, one from the United Statesand one from Asia.

Real estate businessman Frank Cascio is believed to be the man heading a bid to buy the Serie A club after being put in contact with Zamparini by the American owner of Serie B club Venezia, Joe Tacopina, and Zamparini admitted talks are advancing.

"All of the interested parties I have spoken to, particularly the Asians, have asked me to stay on here because they want me to supervise them," Zamparini said, reports mediagol.it.

"The group of American investors, however, have more experience on a sporting level and they want to take 100 percent.

"Negotiations could be long but they could also be short -- let's say it seems like it would be much shorter if I sell to the Americans. Tacopina is behind them -- the Venezia president has brought me some people who used to be from Palermo and I've had an opportunity to speak with him."

Despite Tacopina sponsoring a deal, the current Venezia president insists he is not personally interested in taking control of the Sicilian club.

"I've just introduced Zamparini to a group who showed interest," he told Il Gazzettino. "I'm staying where I am and I'm only thinking about Venezia."

Zamparini has said he has had enough of football after a season in which he went through seven different coaches, making nine managerial changes with the Rosaneri only just avoiding relegation.

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