Liverpool FC investor signs multi-million dollar deal in Rome

An American consortium led by businessman Thomas Di Benedetto and made up of a number of investors, including Italian bank UniCredit, has completed a takeover of Serie A club Roma.

The US$101 million deal, which sees the consortium acquire a 67 per cent share in the club, marks the first major Italian soccer team to have foreign ownership and ends Sensi family's 18-year reign.

"The deal is done," said Di Benedetto, who is a partner in Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the company which owns English Premier League club Liverpool and MLB team Boston Red Sox.

"The business aspect has been very important but I love Rome and I want to do something big for this city. There have been complicated points, but i never felt like giving up.

"I am proud of my Italian origins and for this reason I will do big things. I didn't expect so much attention. "I knew of the great passion from the Romans and this has been one of the reasons for doing this. Our hope and our objective is to be as successful in Rome as Mr Berlusconi was with his team in Milan.”

Announcing his intentions for the club Di Benedetto revealed his ambition to have more local involvement in the team. “If you look around professional soccer today, there are a number of players who grew up in greater Rome. It's our goal to have more of them playing for AS Roma. I think we will put in place the people who will make it attractive for these young men to sign with us.”

• Liverpool investor’s purchase of AS Roma raises Champions League worries

In late March, prior to Di Benedetto's takeover, British newspaper The Guardian raised worries about both Liverpool and Roma competing in the Uefa Champions League next season.

Under Uefa regulations 'No individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a Uefa club competition'. Inability to comply would see the lower-ranked club barred entry from the competition.

Depending on Di Benedetto's stake in FSG, specifically whether he is deemed to be 'able to exercise by any means a decisive influence in the decision making' at both Liverpool and Roma, there exists the possibility for the rule to be applicable in the future.