Former Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani is believed to be in advanced talks to buy a controlling stake in Vasco Da Gama. Multiple reports claim the former Whites supremo, who sold the club to 49ers Enterprises last year, is winning his battle to beat Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis to the purchase of the Brazilian club.
Marinakis recently spoke of his desire to expand Forest's multi-club structure. The Greek billionaire, who hired Edu Gaspar from Arsenal to lead his ‘expansion project in Brazil’, told Sky Sports: "There are discussions and what I can say is that whatever I want to get involved in needs to be something major. The tradition is very important and it always makes more sense to me to manage or to own.
"But in big clubs where we're talking about millions of supporters, you don't consider it as ownership. I cannot use the word that I 'bought' Olympiacos or I 'bought' Nottingham Forest. This is something huge. It's for all the supporters, for millions of people, so I cannot see it as a business.
"It's very important, in whatever I'm involved in, to be a team that has a big supporter base. Portugal is an exception. It's a smaller team. But what we need to do is for this team also to be upgraded and to be one of the [top] six or seven teams in Portugal. It's very important because, for us, the Brazilian market is very important.
"We have some very good players that have played over the years in Olympiacos and also now in Nottingham Forest. But in Portugal, Brazilians, they play as Europeans. It's a gate, let's say, for Brazilian players into Europe. And for me this is very important for the years to come."
However, it has been suggested that Radrizzani is in advanced negotiations with Vasco Da Gama, who are among the most famous Brazilian clubs. Discussions are said to have ‘evolved’, with documents set to be exchanged.
The Italian businessman is also understood to be competing against two other consortiums based in the USA and Saudi Arabia to buy Vasco Da Gama. The Brazilian outfit were previously controlled by 777 Partners before their financial model collapsed earlier in 2024. The group is now under the control of US insurance giant A-Cap. Vasco Da Gama are currently 12th in the 20-team Brazilian top flight.
The final two years of Radrizzani's Whites reign soured his relationship with the fan-base. His ownership ended with Marcelo Bielsa being ousted from his position as boss and then the following season relegation from the Premier League after three failed managerial appointments. But Radrizzani hit back at his United critics on social media last month. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Radrizzani said; "I hear you all. Since June 2023 I have been criticized, abused, insulted any time I say a word about anything. It doesn’t change that we (management and all club employees) invested , transformed modernized the club and finally achieved historical promotion after 17y thanks to MB."
In response to praise for Radrizzani saving the supporters from previous owner Massimo Cellino, he added: "MC did a great job to “clean” the past debts and make the club much more sustainable. I developed and put it back in the map of the world (thanks to MB who set a new work ethic and we supported unconditionally with infrastructure and recruitment) …now Paraag and Co. will take Leeds to the next level.
"We can see a lot of improvements already. I had hard time but I love Leeds and want to see you joyful (these time with a full stadium) . I regret MB couldn’t come back to save us as I wished, the only one who could have done it. Past is past. Let s go Leeds."
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