The news that Chinese retail giant Suning Group has acquired 70 percent majority share in Inter Milan soccer club was greeted by Italian fans with optimism as well as suspicion.
The Chinese consortium on Monday made public that it has completed the takeover of Inter in a deal worth 270 million euros ($306 million). The new owners will bring the prestigious Serie A club back to the peak, according to some Italian fans, reports Xinhua.
"I am sure in a few years Inter will be competitive in Europe, they really have the money," commented a reader of the official website of La Gazzetta dello Sports whose registered name is ChrisBS.
Another reader, registered as "hino", believed that Suning will bring new management approach to the Serie A club.
"In modern football, the only way to make money is to expand the brand and the brand that you buy is a brand asset. If you have a champion team and money, you can earn more through marketing them. Of course they are interested in expanding the brand Suning through Inter. They are not here for charity," commented hino.
"Suning is a colossal corporation, they have the money. Of course, for them Inter is a way through which they can become known outside China and expand their market to Europe, and this also involves the expansion of the Inter in China, it is a two-way operation. it seems clear that they want to do things seriously, instead of stalling," hino wrote.
"If the Chinese are not sure to gain in football, they would not waste their money here."
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The takeover of Inter by Chinese investors left some Italians bemused.
"I don't understand why Suning is throwing money to an Italian league which has no chance of winning (the European Champions League)," commented "nelsonpiquet".
--IANS
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