Is Barrack, the former owner of the Costa Smeralda, interested in Roma?
Concealed negotiations: the club has a loss of 219 million and the American real estate developer of Lebanese origins could buy from the Friedkins or join the club as a partner
Tom Barrack at the time of the Costa Smeralda (Archive)
Per restare aggiornato entra nel nostro canale Whatsapp
Does Tom Barrack, the former boss of the Costa Smeralda, want to get back into football after his experience at PSG? For now, the negotiation is in the background, fueled by rumors. But the rumor according to which the Friedkins are considering the possibility of selling Roma or bringing new members onto the board is reliable. Denial by the Giallorossi ownership, at least for now, but the buyer of the club, American (albeit of Lebanese origin) like the Friedkins and very close to Sardinia, given that it has owned land and exclusive luxury hotels in Porto Cervo: let's talk about Barrack.
The businessman - as we know - is not fasting on football: he sold PSG to Al Khelaifi's Qatar Investment Authority, with whom Friedkin has great professional relationships. In 2012, after having also been at the center of some judicial investigations, he sold the properties on the Costa Smeralda to the Qatar Holding sovereign wealth fund, chaired by Al-Thani.
Moreover, the red balance of 219 million could induce Dan Friedkin to sell the company, which under the presidency of Dino Viola in 1983 and Franco Sensi in 2001 won the last two of the three championships in its history. But “Il Messaggero” also has another theory, which is that of the current owners being open to new members: «To date, Dan Friedkin has spent 199 million to acquire the club, 25.9 for the takeover bid, 500.2 for management and 92 million for the bond to add the difficulties for the construction of the new stadium», argues the online edition of the Capitoline newspaper. «And it is precisely in this juncture that Barrack could fit in. In fact, rather than a sale, it could be a search for shareholders».
Tom Barrack, defined by Fortune magazine as "the largest real estate investor in the world", has also held political positions in the past (deputy undersecretary of the Department of the Interior, Reagan administration). Founder in 1990 and executive chairman of Colony Capital (private equity firm), Barrack was also an active member in Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Through his firm, he manages an approximately $25 billion portfolio of assets comprising hotel chains, golf clubs, land, resorts and general real estate. In short, Roma would be safe with him. However, it is to be expected that, both for the possible purchase and for entry as a shareholder, the negotiation will go through.
