Former Sampdoria President Edoardo Garrone warns the club is on the verge of bankruptcy and accuses current owner Massimo Ferrero of refusing genuine takeover bids, including from Gianluca Vialli’s consortium.
The Blucerchiati are in a strange situation, as they are still owned by Ferrero, but he was forced to step down as President after his arrest for fraudulent bankruptcy with regards to his other businesses.
There have since been repeated attempts to buy out his shares, all of them rejected by Ferrero, and time is running out to salvage the club.
Ferrero is trying to find someone who can loan him €35m to pay off bills including outstanding player wages and taxes by February 16, otherwise the club will be docked points in the Serie A table.
After Ferrero and his representatives again refused to attend a board meeting, former patron Edoardo Garrone released an open letter blasting those he accuses of running Sampdoria into the ground.
“Since 2019, Sampdoria have been existing in a state of crisis due to the general situation that enveloped President Massimo Ferrero and his businesses.
“He is criticised now, but until a few years ago was an integral part of the national football system, both on and off the field. I have kept silent, but always vigilant on Sampdoria’s progress. I have not forgotten the sacrifices made by my family during the 12 years we had the honour and responsibility of controlling the club.
“It was therefore normal for me, especially due to our rapport of reciprocal respect, to step up and join in when Gianluca Vialli asked me to help him purchase Sampdoria in 2009, supporting him in negotiations and agreeing to join the investment.
“You will all remember the constant one-upmanship from Ferrero, which took Vialli to eventually withdraw the offers after almost a year of attempts.”
Vialli died on January 6, but the projects to rescue Sampdoria continue.
Sampdoria are currently the subject of another takeover bid by American investment firm Merlyn Partners, represented by Alessandro Barnaba, but that too was rejected by Ferrero.
Here again, Garrone – whose father Paolo was the President during Vialli and Roberto Mancini’s legendary Sampdoria era – was involved as an investor.
“Their proposal includes a very serious industrial plan to rescue and relaunch the team. As we all know, this scenario did not happen. The proposal from Barnaba and Merlyn Partners was not even taken into consideration by the owners, who evidently have other objectives that do not include rescuing the club, nor the board of directors that with its refusal condemned to failure the last, only and best solution that could guarantee a positive future for Sampdoria.”
Barnaba and Merlyn had already taken over French side Lille and were planning to twin the clubs, sharing resources and players.
Ferrero has repeatedly refused to accept that Sampdoria are in financial trouble, but Garrone’s open letter suggests time is running out to rescue the former Scudetto winners.