AS Roma Confirm Investment Rumours, Trade Stock Suspended
AS Roma have confirmed rumours of investment talks, and the trading of their stock has been suspended amid reports the Friedkin Group is looking into purchasing the club.
Per Football Italia, the trade stock was suspended on Wednesday. The Giallorossi released a statement later in the day:
"Upon request from CONSOB, with reference to the rumors that appeared today in the press concerning a potential acquisition of A.S. Roma S.p.A. shares by some potential investors, AS ROMA SPV LLC, the company which indirectly holds A.S. Roma S.p.A., through its controlled company NEEP ROMA HOLDING S.p.A., hereby informs that preliminary talks are ongoing with some potential investors in order to allow the latter to assess the opportunity of a potential investment in AS ROMA SPV LLC.
"In the case of the reaching of agreements concerning the transfer of shares held in A.S. Roma S.p.A., AS ROMA SPV LLC will provide the Market with adequate information within the terms provided by the law."
James Pallotta is the current co-owner and chairman of Roma, acquiring the club in 2011. They have had their ups and downs during his spell in charge and ran into Financial Fair Play issues, but sanctions were lifted last year.
The Giallorossi have finished in second place in Serie A three times since Pallotta took charge, but tumbled to sixth place last season. In Europe, their high point came in the 2017-18 campaign, where they made it to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, knocking out La Liga giants Barcelona along the way:
The club has had difficulty building on their success due to their tendency to sell their best players. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker and Kostas Manolas have all left for greener pastures in recent years.
Roma currently sit in sixth place in the Serie A standings, 10 points behind leaders and eight-time defending champions Juventus.
Per Il Tempo (h/t John Solano of RomaPress), Goldman Sachs have been reaching out to investors for months, even though the club isn't officially for sale. Investment bank JP Morgan is assisting with the acquisition. Pallotta reportedly values the club at €1 billion.
