AC Milan President Silvio Berlusconi is now "reported to be in talks" with China President Xi Jinping over the sale of the Serie A club, according to Ben Gladwell of ESPN. After talks with Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol "failed to reach a conclusion 10 days ago, Berlusconi has already held talks with another Chinese group." Xi is now "set to outbid them all to gain control of the Rossoneri." It is the result of a "promise Berlusconi made" to Xi while he was Italy's PM -- he "would be the first to know if he decided to sell Milan." That "may not have been entirely the case with Taechaubol first holding talks with Berlusconi" back in December, while the emergence of Xi is "only now starting to take shape." It was first reported in China on May 7 that Xi was "launching a bid" in excess of €1B ($1.1B) -- twice the price said to have been offered by Taechaubol. The Chinese government immediately "censured the reports and demanded their removal." However, Nelio Lucas, CEO of the Doyen Sports group representing Taechaubol, "released a statement in which he expressed his optimism about a deal going through." The statement said, "We are certain that we will reach a positive conclusion to our negotiations. The current owners of Milan know what is best for the club and they know that Mr Bee Taechaubol has the clubs's best interests at heart" (ESPN, 5/12). FOOTBALL ITALIA reported Inter Milan President Erick Thohir has "brushed off comments" from Berlusconi about his running of the club. The Rossoneri president referenced Thohir in saying that he "didn’t want to sell to someone who wouldn’t invest." The Indonesian businessman responded, "comparing the statements to a racist gaffe from Sampdoria President Massimo Ferrero." Thohir: "There are no problems. In the past I’ve even been a Filipino, but that chapter is closed. We mustn't dwell on things, let's move on. I'm happy just to do my job, and I won't speak about the opinions of others" (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 5/12).
