ROME -- The Chinese company Suning Commerce Group Ltd has bought the majority of Italian football club Inter Milan.  In a press conference in Nanchino to reveal the transfer of the ‘nerazzurro’ [black-blue] club to the company, Suning President, Zhang Jindong, has said that, “Suning will own 68.55 percent of Inter.  It’s the first operation in Italy.”

 He continued, “Buying Inter is part of Suning’s strategy for becoming leaders in the sporting world.  In the next five years we want to be one of the biggest societies and make this club even stronger.  We’ll make Inter stronger and more magnificent.  In the Moratti era so many legendary players have arrived and we want to follow his idea.  We want to reconstruct the glorious story of the past.”

 Inter President Erick Thohir added, “Together we can carry this great club to the apex of European football.  We thank Moratti for the important role in Inter, but also for the help from when I became president and for having supported this partnership with Suning and Zhang.”

 In a note on their official site Inter has confirmed Moratti’s exit, and the continuing charge of Thohir with the presidency; “International Sports Capital will be the sole minority shareholder, with Erick Thohir continuing to drive the club as president.  International Holding will no longer be shareholders, with Massimo Moratti leaving the club.”

 Suning, who have valued Inter at around 750 million euros, see this as an investment project, with China aiming to join the football world cup by 2030.  Before this date the Chinese government want to train 50 million young players through the construction of 20,000 football schools, 70,000 pitches and making ‘ballsports’ a school subject.

 The change will come as something of a relief to Thohir, leaving the club finally debt free and liberated from the bonds imposed by Financial Fair Play.  Whilst Thohir remains chairman experts predict that his upcoming departure from the scene is a foregone conclusion, in the same way as Moratti.  There’s speculation that the current key players will be replaced by a new management, with the first rumours suggesting CEO Bolingbroke’s imminent departure.

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