Bee Taechaubol urges Silvio Berlusconi not to sell Milan to a group of Chinese investors.
The Thai property tycoon had agreed a deal to take 48 per cent of the club, but the investment was repeatedly delayed.
Berlusconi eventually lost patience, and is on the verge of selling 80 per cent of the Rossoneri to a group from China, but the previous candidate says his offer is still on the table.
Bee Taechaubol urges Silvio Berlusconi not to sell Milan to a group of Chinese investors.
The Thai property tycoon had agreed a deal to take 48 per cent of the club, but the investment was repeatedly delayed.
Berlusconi eventually lost patience, and is on the verge of selling 80 per cent of the Rossoneri to a group from China, but the previous candidate says his offer is still on the table.
“The people who are in talks are financial brokers, and the fund manager will become CEO of Milan,” Taechaubol, commonly known as Mr Bee, told Goal.
“With a whole bunch of money from 10 companies in China, that’s just looking at extracting money and making a profit for investors.
“I’d rather see it sold to another Italian than to somebody from overseas.
“There is no point deciding to invest then buying more and more and more players, because that is not sustainable. Milan can make money on its own and it can be sustainable.
“The club belongs to President Berlusconi, he dedicated his life to it and made it what it is. He knows what to do and how to do it, and now he will have time to focus on it he can make it a champion again.
“I’m just here to help and add to it, and I know how to do that because I have successful businesses in the industry already.
“In the beginning I did want a majority because I was being backed by some middle-eastern families and that was what they wanted.
“However, I came to understand Italian football a lot more and, being Asian, I can’t say I really know the slightest bit about it, but the more time I spend there and the more I’m involved I see that Milan is the icon of Italian football and one of the greatest names in world football.
“I explained to the funds that I think it would be arrogant for anyone who is not Italian – especially Asians – to think that we should have the right to own Milan.
“Fans might say 'Oh great, somebody’s coming to invest', but when you spend money and the club does well, they look up and think 'Why are there a bunch of Asians sitting up there?’.
“This is an Italian icon, this is an Italian team. I think it would ruin the brand of AC Milan if there’s not an Italian owner.
“We should only be financial investors, and help build the commercial side, but let President Berlusconi still own Milan. It’s not my show, and I never intended it to be my show. It became a big media thing, which is not what I want.”
Mr Bee also denied that he had struggled to raise the necessary capital to complete his proposed investment.
“Money is not an issue, there was just a lot of confusion.
“My first proposal was for a majority but once I understood where [Berlusconi’s] heart is and I had learned more about Italy and football, I realised I should never have believed I had a right to a majority. You can’t walk into Italy as an outsider and think you have a right to buy their icon.
“I’m not pretending I know as much about football as Berlusconi. He has done what he has done and has achieved a lot so he knows what he is doing.
“But I know what I’m doing in other areas, in the commercial side, and I have the connections and the know-how which can help.”