Salernitana confirm new owner has saved them from Serie A expulsion

Soccer Football - Serie A - Salernitana v AS Roma - Stadio Arechi, Salerno, Italy - August 29, 2021 General view inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Ciro De Luca/File Photo

SALERNO, Italy, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Salernitana will not be expelled from Serie A after the club said on Monday that a new owner has been found.

Originally owned by Lazio president Claudio Lotito, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said at the start of the season that Salernitana must change how they are run or face being expelled from Italy's top flight.

Article 16 of the licensing and registration regulations for clubs prohibits individuals from owning multiple teams in the same division, with control of Salernitana handed over to a trust that was ordered to find a buyer by the end of 2021.

The club, promoted to Serie A for the first time in 23 years last season, left it until the final hour, but finally confirmed that a bid had been received on Dec. 31, with the process to get the new ownership finalised put in place on Monday.

"The purchaser was notified of the possibility of proceeding immediately with the deed of sale, in order to become involved as soon as possible in the management of the company and possibly allow him to be active in the transfer market in January," a statement from the trustees said on Monday.

Salernitana did not reveal the identity of the new owner, but Daniele Iervolino, the 43-year-old founder of Italy's Pegasus Online University, said in Italian media soon after the deadline had passed that he was the buyer.

In a statement published in newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport last week, Iervolino said he would "do everything to keep Salernitana in Serie A.

"It is with great emotion that I announce the acquisition of Salernitana 1919. Salerno and its fans deserve a competitive team," he added.

The Salerno-based side won their third league game of the season on Sunday, beating Hellas Verona 2-1, but remain rooted to the bottom of the table six points adrift of the safety zone but with games in hand on the other relegation-threatened teams.

Reporting by Peter Hall; Editing by Ken Ferris

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