The sale of the newspaper La Stampa brings down one of the last bastions of the Family’s Turin presence. But John’s heirs are great Juventus fans and are growing…
In all the public statements, and in those leaked “off the record”, the refrain has always been the same: Juventus cannot be touched. John Elkann, head of the family holding company that controls the club, reiterated this again last December by rejecting it Tether’s takeover offer. On that occasion he appeared on video wearing the black and white sweatshirt and, in the background, the image of the bench that saw the birth of the team on 1 November 1897. “Juventus, our history, our values are not for sale,” he said clearly. In the meantime, those rumors have died down, and the minority shareholder – the cryptocurrency giant which rose to 11.5% – has no longer been exposed. Beyond Tether, however, the fresh announcement of the sale of the newspaper The Press turns the spotlight back on Exor’s Italian assets. The subsidiary Gedi has just signed the preliminary sale of the newspaper to the Sae group: the closing is expected within the first half of 2026. Not only one of the historic newspapers of Italian information is preparing to change publisher, but also – and above all – one of the symbols of Turin and the link between the Piedmontese territory and the Agnelli family, owner of the newspaper for a century. Exor, which transformed itself from a family safe into an investment company with a global vocation, with registered office and listing in the Netherlands, has long since divested parts of the Italian industry. Does anything change now?
Turin-ness
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There are those who observe how the sale of The Press can bring down the preclusion to the sale of Juventus, which has always been considered an untouchable jewel. For the Lawyer’s heir, the last few years have passed under the banner of criticism from national public opinion (including Juventus fans) and increasingly frequent contact with the heads of American big tech, from Bezos to Zuckerberg. In short, Elkann could be tempted to take the big step: moving permanently to the United States. Furthermore, the Agnelli dynasty that guards the treasures of the house is made up of different souls, although John’s Dicembre, with 41%, remains firmly in command of Giovanni Agnelli Bv, the corporate vehicle through which the family controls Exor and therefore (with 64%) Juve. From 2019 to today, Juventus shareholders have been asked to participate in four capital increases: the majority shareholder has paid out 637 million. Payments that are increasingly less justifiable in the eyes of some hereditary branches. However, there is a but. Other sources consulted by Journal they place emphasis on the new generation.
children
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John and his wife Lavinia Borromeo have three children: Leone Mosé, 19 years old; Ocean Noah, 18; Vita Talita, 14. In the section of the club’s website dedicated to the centenary there is, among others, a message from the eldest son which reads as follows: “For me Juve is more than a passion, it is a team, colours, a faith that identifies and distinguishes me. When I am asked where I come from, I answer the city of Juventus, because Juve is bigger than anything else”. Yes, Juventus support is the trait that unites the three brothers, all born and raised in Turin and, especially the first two, regular visitors to the Allianz Stadium. For example, Leone accompanied his father on a visit to the team before leaving for the Club World Cup in the United States last June. And when the men of Spallettiin January, they beat Napoli, they were joined in the changing rooms by the big boss, flanked by Oceano. “The secret is Juventus, which is a great love on the part of all of us and also of my family. It is handed down from generation to generation. All three of my children play football. Juve is a big part of their lives”, explained John a few years ago.
perspectives
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Leo and Oceanus have come of age. They are part of the next generation of the Family, destined to have an increasingly greater say. It is true that many members of the extended dynasty are distant from football and would gladly get rid of the asset that in recent years has been a burden for Exor (Juventus’ aggregate loss of 847 million in the five-year period), but at Elkann’s house they think differently. Of course, when faced with a monstrous offer it would be difficult to say no. After all, everything has a price, even Juventus. What price? Considering that Atletico Madrid was recently valued at 2.5 billion, the Juventus owners, who consider Juve a “trophy asset”, could only waver on a range of 2.7-3 billion. Exactly, an off-market proposal.
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