Roma President James Pallotta insists he ‘always wanted what is best for the club’ and is ready to help Dan Friedkin ‘learn from my mistakes and not repeat them.’
The takeover is expected to reach its closing stage on Monday, with Friedkin and his son Ryan announcing a new Board of Directors.
Reports are flooding in about Friedkin’s plans, including a change of tack with the Stadio della Roma project, where he’d give ownership of the land over to the club.
Roma President James Pallotta insists he ‘always wanted what is best for the club’ and is ready to help Dan Friedkin ‘learn from my mistakes and not repeat them.’
The takeover is expected to reach its closing stage on Monday, with Friedkin and his son Ryan announcing a new Board of Directors.
Reports are flooding in about Friedkin’s plans, including a change of tack with the Stadio della Roma project, where he’d give ownership of the land over to the club.
“If we used a different company and a separate entity to Roma, it was only due to legal and financial problems,” Pallotta wrote to the Corriere dello Sport via Whatsapp.
“There was no strategy. The club would still have benefited from the revenue of the stadium.”
One of the reasons the Stadio della Roma project hit so many roadblocks was the idea Pallotta would benefit financially and personally from the construction, for example by paying €3m per year to rent the arena, roughly what they currently pay to rent the Stadio Olimpico from the CONI.
“Friedkin will see…” replied Pallotta when told the new owner plans to remove or reduce that €3m rental agreement.
Pallotta also complained about reports he had asked Roma directors not to communicate with Friedkin’s people before the closing, which would effectively grind any transfer activity to a complete halt.
“Are you kidding? I’d never demand anything like that. In fact, I can tell you that some of my managers spoke to Friedkin just a few days ago. I offered the buyer my total collaboration from last Autumn.
“I’m ready to give advice, so Friedkin can learn from my mistakes and not repeat them. It’s something nobody can deny, because I said it in front of many witnesses.
“I have always wanted what is best for the club. I want Roma to be successful in future, no matter who the owner is.”