By Andrea Caropreso
Index
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Thirty-eight years later, the Pozzo era at Udinese comes to an end. The owner of the Friulian club is reportedly ready to sell the team to a group of foreign investors. Yet another chapter of Italian football likely passing into foreign, presumably American, hands—partly by choice, partly by necessity. A story made of great successes, the discovery of top talents, and many profitable transfers, which helped launch numerous players into elite European football.
Details of the Sale
Although nothing is official yet, Udinese is expected to be sold for around €150 million, with the closing expected in the coming days. The name of the new owner hasn’t been disclosed yet, but rumors suggest it’s an American investor—yet another one, it seems. Serie A is now practically half American-owned, and this latest deal only confirms the overseas interest in Italian (and broader European) football.
From a corporate standpoint, Pozzo is likely to leave entirely, without even retaining a minority stake in Udinese. A rather abrupt change of hands, but one aimed at enabling an effective planning phase for the upcoming season. Coach Runjaic will obviously stay in charge, but he’ll be building the team alongside a new management team.
Pozzo’s Legacy
The Pozzo family leaves behind a legacy of investment, planning, and healthy club management. Udinese has often been a model in Italian football. From qualifying for the Champions League playoffs under Guidolin to the development of talents like Lucca and Bijol, Udinese always looked to the medium and long term. The club also built its own stadium, the Bluenergy Stadium, which will soon host the UEFA Super Cup final. Also worth recalling is the Intertoto Cup win in 2000, which allowed the team to qualify for the UEFA Cup.
The Pozzos are not just leaving a Serie A club, but a unique managerial legacy in Italy. The Udinese model has long been a virtuous example of scouting and player development. Just look at some of their most famous capital gains:
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Alexis Sánchez: bought for €3 million, sold to Barcelona for about €26 million.
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Rodrigo De Paul: signed for €3 million, sold to Atlético Madrid for over €35 million.
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Juan Cuadrado, Samir Handanovic, Mehdi Benatia, Piotr Zieliński, and many others: all talents who were developed and sold for huge profits.
Since 2000, according to Transfermarkt, Udinese has earned over €500 million from player sales, making financial sustainability its trademark. Reproducing such a model will not be easy.
Di Andrea Caropreso
