Russian football club Anzhi issued a statement denying reports in the local media that its billionaire owner Suleiman Kerimov could be involved in the acquisition of Serie A side Parma by unnamed Russian entrepreneurs. The statement quoted Anzhi General Dir Sergei Korablev as saying that Kerimov is the owner of only one football club, which is Anzhi. On Monday, Russian media quoted anonymous sources as saying that Kerimov could be the main investor in a group of unnamed Russian entrepreneurs who are close to acquiring Parma. Italian media reported Sunday that a Russian-Cypriot consortium had "agreed to terms" to take control of the club. Kerimov acquired Anzhi in early '11 and reportedly invested $500M in the club over the next two years. The club signed coach Guus Hiddink and a number of star players, including Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o, and won bronze in the '12-13 season. However, at the beginning of the '13-14 season, funding for the squad was considerably reduced, expensive players left, and Anzhi was relegated.
Vladimir Kozlov is a writer in Moscow.
