Crown Prince of Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim denied "he is about to launch a bid" to buy AC Milan from former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi. Ibrahim was quoted "saying he would be keen on a takeover at San Siro." However, the 31-year-old has since issued a statement via JDT's Facebook page to clarify that owning Milan, a club he has supported since he was young, is simply "one of his dreams." He said, "I was also asked if I have any interest in buying a foreign club. My exact answer was yes. If I have to pick a club, it would have to be Milan. That's one of my dreams. But it doesn't mean I'm going to buy it. It's just a club that I've adored since I was young. That's all. So to answer any speculations, the answer is 'No. I'm not buying Milan.' I don't have money to buy Milan. I'm not rich like other Malaysian businessmen. I'm just a young man with a dream and big ambitions, that's all" (GOAL, 4/25).
Serie A side Lazio President Claudio Lotito dismissed all rumors "that he will sell the club to a Russian investor." At a time when Berlusconi seems set to sell Milan to a Chinese group and Erick Thohir is looking for a business partner to pick up 20% of Inter's shares, there have been rumors that Lazio "could be sold as well." Speculation that a Russian investor would be taking the reins of Lazio has "been promptly dismissed." Lotito: "These are all inventions. I've already taken legal action with the public prosecutor for stock manipulation" (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 4/25).
