Poland's leading chemical company Grupa Azoty is "planning to become the majority shareholder" in Ekstraklasa club Pogon Szczecin, according to Jaroslaw Adamowski of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. The company is currently the club's main sponsor and is "in negotiation with the municipal authorities of Szczecin to buy the club." The two partners have been "collaborating for three years," and in past seasons the company has allocated between PLN 2M ($535,000) and PLN 3M ($802,580) per year to Pogon as the side's main sponsor, as well as "financing some of the players' contracts." Club spokesperson Krzysztof Ufland said, "The negotiations between Grupa Azoty and Pogon Szczecin, regarding the purchase of shares, are ongoing." Meanwhile, the city authorities are "planning to modernise Pogon's outdated stadium." The cost of the project is estimated at PLN 50M ($13.4M) (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 6/26).
IN BULGARIA: INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL's Alexander Krassimirov reported the "on-off ownership" of Bulgarian club Levski Sofia has been resolved with President Todor Batkov "announcing that he is stepping down after 17 years at the helm." At an "emotional press conference the lawyer said that he will transfer his shares" to Chair Ivo Tonev and two other businessmen, Alexander Angelov and Nikolai Ivanov. Batkov "broke down in tears as he announced his decision," saying that he has invested nearly BGN45M ($25.7M) in the club, but will transfer his shares free of charge (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 6/26).
