AC Milan Owner May Ask For New Down Payment If Deal Drags On

AC Milan Owner Silvio Berlusconi's holding company may ask the Chinese investors seeking to buy the club to make a further down payment "if the deal's closing is postponed," according to Elvira Pollina of REUTERS. On Saturday the Chinese consortium confirmed its commitment to wrapping up the deal "as soon as possible" after the former Italian PM, who has owned the team for over three decades, "hinted at a delay in the long-awaited acquisition." The investors already paid €100M ($106M) in "two separate tranches" to Berlusconi's Fininvest family holding and are due to pay another €420M ($445M) at a shareholders' meeting on Dec. 13 to complete the deal (REUTERS, 11/28).