Napoli subject to €2 billion takeover approach from American consortium

Napoli have reportedly received a €2 billion takeover approach from an American consortium.

The proposal has been led by Underdog Global Partners, who have spent the past six months in discussions with figures connected to the club over a possible purchase from the De Laurentiis family.

Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis has yet to show any indication that he is prepared to walk away from the club he rescued from bankruptcy more than two decades ago.

De Laurentiis bought Napoli in 2004 when they were playing in Italy’s third tier and has since overseen one of the most dramatic rebuilds in European football.

Under his ownership, Napoli returned to the top of Italian football and won two Serie A titles, including their historic Scudetto triumph in 2023, which ended a 33-year wait for league glory.

The latest interest reflects the increasing Stateside influence within Italian football, with several Serie A clubs now owned or backed by North American investors.

Underdog Global Partners already has experience in Italian sport after investing in Campobasso and also acquiring a controlling stake in Napoli Basketball earlier this year.

The consortium’s wider plan reportedly includes building a broader multi-sport operation in Naples, while there is also interest in potentially applying for a future NBA Europe franchise.

Part of the proposed takeover package is believed to include major infrastructure investment, with redevelopment plans for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona central to discussions.

Talks have reportedly slowed over several sticking points raised by De Laurentiis, although the consortium are still hopeful negotiations can eventually progress.

The deal would represent one of the biggest sales in football history and a staggering financial return for De Laurentiis, who originally purchased the club for a tiny fraction of the reported valuation.

Napoli are preparing to enter their centenary year as one of Italy’s strongest clubs financially and competitively, which has only increased external interest.

The situation also underlines how attractive Serie A has become to American investors in recent years, with clubs such as Inter Milan, AC Milan and Atalanta all now operating under significant foreign ownership structures.