(Bloomberg) -- Italian football team Hellas Verona is a potential takeover target for a group of US-based investors, according to people familiar with the matter.
Austin, Texas-based Presidio Investors is raising up to €75 million ($79.1 million) for a controlling stake in the Serie A team, according to a document seen by Bloomberg. Presidio targets “growing, niche businesses” in the technology, media and financial services sectors, according to its website.
Hellas Verona, formed in 1903 by a group of Greek students, is open to selling both a controlling and minority stake, one of the people said, asking not to be named discussing ongoing talks.
There are no current offers, and talks could fail to lead to a bid, the people said. Spokespeople from Hellas Verona and Presidio declined to comment.
In recent years, American investors have been clamoring to buy up European football teams. In Italy, clubs including Atalanta, Fiorentina, Genoa, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Parma, Roma and Venezia, are all in control of US owners.
Hellas Verona is owned by Maurizio Setti, the co-founder of Antress Industry SpA, a fashion-focused holding company. The team won its first league title, known as the scudetto, in the 1984-85 season and was a regular in European club football in the mid 1980s. It plays its home matches in the Stadio Mercantonio Bentegodi, which has a capacity of around 40,000.
The team currently stands in 14th position in Italy’s top league, and has been playing in front of average home attendances of just over 25,000.
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