Rome (AFP)

The sale of AS Rome to American businessman Dan Friedkin, valued at nearly 600 million euros, has been confirmed, the Italian football club announced on Monday in a statement.

"We are delighted to be joining the AS Roma family," writes the new boss, who becomes club president in place of the former owner, American James Pallotta.

His son Ryan Friedkin will also sit on the new executive committee, as will Guido Fienga, who remains CEO.

In its press release, the Friedkin group announces the acquisition of approximately 86% of the club's share capital. It will also launch "a compulsory takeover bid on the remaining ordinary shares representing approximately 13.4% of the capital".

This change of hands, which revives some hopes among frustrated supporters after long years without titles, had given rise to an agreement in early August. The giallorosso club had evaluated the operation "around 591 million euros".

Roma had been chaired by James Pallotta since 2012. Since 2014, the businessman had owned the club 100%. Based in Boston and present very occasionally in Rome, he was very unpopular with the club's tifosi.

The new owner, Dan Friedkin, assures for his part that he will be "very present in Rome" to follow the files concerning "a team which represents a vital part of the soul" of the Italian capital.

Aged 54, he is based in Houston, Texas and is the head of a holding group of a dozen companies and is active in the sale of automobiles, hotels and entertainment.

According to Forbes, his fortune is estimated at just over four billion dollars (3.6 billion euros).

After finishing 5th in the Italian championship this season, AS Rome will again have to be content with the Europa League next season, a competition from which it was eliminated in the 8th final at the beginning of August by Sevilla FC.

© 2020 AFP