Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol "expects he will sign a deal to become AC Milan’s majority shareholder during a trip to Italy on Sunday," according to Kris Voakes of GOAL. Taechaubol "has been in lengthy talks" with current President Silvio Berlusconi regarding a takeover and "he has now confirmed that he expects the details to be agreed and signed off within 10 days." Taechaubol:
“Next Sunday I will be in Milan to sign and close the deal." Taechaubol -- known better as Mr. Bee -- "is due to spend four days in Lombardy where he is expected to rubber-stamp an agreement" that will see him buy a 20% stake in the club immediately on the condition of making a purchase of an additional 45% in the coming 12 months. Taechaubol was recently seen at the Milan museum with financier Victor Pablo Dana, who will become managing director under Mr. Bee’s regime with Paolo Maldini as technical director (GOAL, 4/20). ESPN's Ben Gladwell reported when Taechaubol first met with Berlusconi last year, it was reported "a preliminary agreement had been reached, although Berlusconi had agreed on a cooling off period to enable him the right to reject the deal before it would be made official in the summer." The investor "has already made two trips to Italy and been photographed behind Berlusconi as he signed a document, believed to be a pre-contract agreement, in January" (ESPN, 4/20). In a separate piece, Gladwell reported AC Milan VP Barbara Berlusconi said that "she has been sworn to secrecy" as rumors grow about her father being set to sell the Serie A club.
Speaking after announcing the extension of a sponsorship deal with Audi by two years, Berlusconi revealed that "she is not permitted to talk about the speculation surrounding Milan's future." She said,
"Since I am general manager of AC Milan, I've signed a non-disclosure agreement. I am obliged not to respond to your questions."
She did, however, say that China "is a fundamental market for us." She added, "In general, Milan are looking at Asia because it's an important market, particularly right now, and that is why we will be going on a tour of Asia in the summer" (ESPN, 4/17).
