Atalanta, the sale: 55% to American investors, the Percassi remain

Andrea Elefante and Carlo Laudisa

February 19
– Milan

Atalanta in US orbit: to enter the future even more firmly. This explains the sale of a package of shares, which would be 55%, to a group of US entrepreneurs, with an important Italian-American component. Imminent sale: closing expected by next week, it cannot be ruled out that it will already take place on Monday. But the management of the company will still be firmly in the hands of the Percassi family. The current majority shareholders, who returned to the head of the company almost 12 years ago, will be left with 45% of the package: and this is the most eloquent proof of how the Bergamo soul will still be prevalent and motivated to plan an increasingly ambitious tomorrow. The new members were the first to understand that the Atalantine miracle should not be distorted.

Closure imminent

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In these decisive hours, the confidentiality pacts (with large penalties) have imposed absolute silence on the figures of the negotiation, but it can be assumed that the deal takes place on the basis of an overall evaluation of the club ranging between 400 and 500 million euros. Gasperini’s squad has significant market prices, but it is the assets of the Zingonia sports center and the Gewiss Stadium that pushed up the terms of the operation. Two symbols of the family’s bond with the city, which, however, did not discourage buyers. There is still a veil of mystery about who will buy 55% of the company shares, but various clues lead to at least three entrepreneurs, linked to the US fund Bain Capital, who however will invest personally in the acquisition of Atalanta shares. Therefore, speculative transactions to be linked to the fund should be excluded, even if the businessmen made use of the financial instruments of the aforementioned investment company. From this arose the (unfounded) rumors of an involvement of the KKR fund, which yesterday afternoon, through a spokesperson, denied having ever considered the possibility of buying the Bergamo club.

The role of Steve Pagliuca

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The three investors, with the establishment of an ad hoc company, could also shortly be joined by other foreign shareholders. The certainty is that of an Italian-American presence: an important role in the negotiation was in fact Stephen Pagliuca, co-president of Bain Capital, which also holds a stake in the Boston Celtics, an NBA franchise with very indented distribution. Pagliuca, who was also involved in politics with the Democrats, bought his Celtics shares from James Pallotta, former Roma owner: basketball was his first love – he played it as a boy, when he attended Duke University – but Bain Capital has for some time turned on its radar on the world of Italian football, caressing the idea of ​​an entrance. Years ago, a negotiation by Bain Capital with Massimo Cellino to enter Cagliari was hypothesized and more recently the fund had been identified as a possible buyer of Inter by the Zhang family. Bain Capital was also a competitor to CVC Capital Partners to take over 10% of the Serie A league.

The will that guided the Percassi in this negotiation is to further strengthen the company, consolidating and nurturing the growth path started in recent years. For this reason, in the interest of the club, it is expected that they will continue to have full management: their stay was a sine qua non that inspired the whole negotiation. Antonio will remain chairman, Luca will continue to be the chief executive officer and both will still be the main shareholders. But above all the guarantors of the very special identification between Atalanta, or rather the Goddess, and Bergamo: to be understood, especially when it comes to football, like the whole of the Bergamo area, united to the team by a historically very close bond.