Urbano Cairo acquired a 2,8% stake in Rcs Media Group by purchasing 200 ordinary shares on the market and also proceeded to convert 4 million option rights into 11,78 million shares. The value of the operation is around 14 million. “Dr. Urbano Cairo – reads a press release – specifies that the investment is made on a personal basis. Communications on the subject of significant shareholdings will be made within the terms and in the manner prescribed by law".
The patron of Torino Calcio wanted to underline both the "personal nature" of the investment and his quality as a pure publisher. "It is a small participation - he declared to Ansa - the operation of a pure publisher who believes in publishing: I too wanted to make a contribution". And he added: “I tiptoe in, with a lot of respect for those who are already there”.
However, the surprise effect remains. Cairo, on the occasion of the presentation of the schedules of La 7 on 9 July, declared with regard to RCS: "I am a pure publisher, I have not entered and I do not intend to enter now". In the following days, the president of Torino had sold defender Ogbonna to Juventus for 13 million, a figure singularly close to the amount invested in RCS… A choice opposite to that of Diego Della Valle, owner of Fiorentina, who concluded the sale of Jovetic yesterday , formerly the object of John Philip Elkann's wishes, to Manchester City.
At this point RCS looks like a small San Siro: there will certainly be no shortage of tackles and outstretched interventions in the future. In the next few days we will see if other important shareholders have joined the publishing group on the occasion of the increase. At present, approximately 20% of the capital is not owned. The union pact meeting will be held on July 31st, when Elkann returns from the regatta with Giovanni Soldini: a little sea does not hurt before the championship.
