The co-owner of the Boston Celtics basketball team has broken his silence over his interest in buying Chelsea Football Club by publicly declaring his intention to “cherish and preserve” the London side and hinting that he would be prepared to reduce his stake in the Serie A side Atalanta.
Sky News can reveal that Steve Pagliuca, the private equity billionaire who chairs Bain Capital, will on Tuesday publicly make a string of commitments relating to Chelsea’s men’s and women’s teams, community initiatives and honouring the heritage of last season’s Champions League winners.
In a statement given exclusively to Sky News, Mr Pagliuca will say that the auction of Chelsea, which has been prompted by Roman Abramovich’s sanctioning by the government, “has been a disconcerting time for the football club and fans”.
“Throughout my life and career, my ethos has always been to operate quietly, with integrity, and let my actions and results speak loudly.
“However, it is imperative to clarify and assure supporters about our bid group and its commitments, to emphasize how seriously we take our potential responsibility to Chelsea.”
Mr Pagliuca and a group of co-investors only recently bought a controlling stake in Atalanta, a shareholding that could cause complications if they and Chelsea ever appear in the same European club competition.
Under UEFA rules, if two clubs majority-owned by the same entity are drawn against each other in competitions, one would have to agree to forfeit the tie.
In his statement, Mr Pagliuca said his bid for Chelsea, which will be tabled ahead of a deadline on Thursday, would be “substantial and credible – one that we expect will meet the respective requirements and regulations of the Premier League, UK Government and UEFA – and we pledge to honor our commitment to credibility and good guardianship of Chelsea Football Club from day one”.
One insider said the reference to UEFA was a tacit acknowledgement that he may have to…
Source : skynews
