Entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus insists it is ‘nonsense’ to suggest the Zhang family doesn’t want to sell Inter, but three offers have been tabled and he is eager to work with Sheikh Jassim after the Manchester United bid.
The Finnish businessman was one of the first to place a bid for the purchase of Manchester United last year, before pulling out, followed by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani last week.
Speaking to Finnish site Helsingin Sanomat, Zilliacus maintains reports that the Zhang family and Suning rejected a €1.3 billion offer from a Middle Eastern fund was fake news.
“It’s nonsense from the press saying that Zhang doesn’t want to sell and the news of an offer is not true. As far as I know, this has never been done. It was all invented.”
Zilliacus claims that three offers did come in and the final purchase price will be in the region of €1 billion.
“The owner wants to sell the club to someone who is serious about building and developing it.”
He has also publicly urged Sheik Jassim to join forces with him to purchase Inter, especially now the billionaire has pulled out of the Manchester United takeover.
“Discussions are held behind closed doors and possible results will be reported in due course. Combining the services of my companies and Al-Thani’s capital would create a very cool equation.”
He plans to raise revenue by offering ‘various services’ to fans, feeling they would be ready to pay up to €400 per year each for the privilege.
Steven Zhang is the President of Inter, given the job by his father Zhang Jindong, who is at the head of the Suning company.
“Steven has been in Milan since 2016. He told me that he had been in America when his father called on his 26th birthday and told him that he would get the football team Inter as a birthday present, so he would have to move to Milan straight away.
“Before that, he had never even been to a football match,” assured Zilliacus.