The lawyer representing both Lazio and Salernitana has explained more about the placement of the newly-promoted club in a blind trust to avoid breaking ownership rules.
Claudio Lotito currently owns both these clubs, but following Salernitana’s promotion into Serie A for the first time in 23 years, this created a huge problem.
Current rules ban one person from owning two clubs playing in the same division and midnight last night was the deadline for Lotito to sell Salernitana.
He failed to find a buyer, so did the next best thing and signed Salernitana over to a blind trust, with a sole administrator appointed to find a new owner within six months.
“The money has been wired with the trustees to run the club for six months, at which point Salernitana must be sold,” lawyer Gianmichele Gentile told Radio Punto Nuovo.
“The trustee must perform due diligence and state how much the club is worth. Lotito cannot intervene.
“The only rapport allowed with the old owners is when it comes to loaning players. (FIGC President Gabriele) Gravina has authorised everything.
“Salernitana are still allowed to sign players from Lazio. The trust will decide who is the coach and the members of staff, they’ll run the day to day organisation of the club.
“In December, when the mandate expires, whoever buys the club will decide whether to continue with that infrastructure or change everything.”
Salernitana fans are inevitably irritated by the situation, as they are in Serie A after 23 years and begin pre-season without an owner.
The sense of uncertainty is inevitable, especially considering how many Salernitana players are on loan from Lazio.
As for Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani making an offer to purchase the club, lawyer Gentile is unimpressed.
“Those who did make an offer were engaging in financial speculation tactics.”