Market inflation and values: according to Juventus, Napoli, Sampdoria, Genoa and Empoli

Nearly two hundred pages of tables, figures and details reveal all about market operations which, according to the federal prosecutor, have brought capital gains “to values ​​beyond those permitted by accounting principles,” thus altering clubs’ balance sheets. This is the content of the referral that was notified yesterday to eleven clubs, five of which are from Serie A (Juventus, Napoli, Genoa, Empoli and Sampdoria), of 61 people, including directors and members of boards of directors who were called to approve the financial statements: Ranging: From Agnelli, Paracchi and Nedved to De Laurentiis with his wife and children, even the ex-presidents of Samp, Genoa, Ferrero and Preziosi. The other participating clubs are Pisa and Parma in Serie B, Pescara and Pro Vercelli in Liga Pro, Novara and Chievo, no longer affiliated.

fake capital gains

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Prosecutor Giuseppe Schenh’s men carefully examined all operations reported by Covisoc with a memo dated October 19, 2021 after monitoring activities in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. These are 18 deals made in a cross situation, “having no (or limited financial impact)”, but in fourteen cases “the same players were not employed by the buying company”. In fact, practice stipulated that they were temporarily transferred to the same club that sold them or to a club of a lower category. In all cases, the transactions allowed companies to record “significant capital gains on the income statement, which changes the validity of the accounting period.” As for the first division, Juventus appears in 15 operations, Napoli in one (one with Lille for Ossimine), Sampdoria in three operations, Genoa and Empoli in one. As for the others, Parma in two, Pisa, Pescara, Pro Vercelli, Novara and Chievo in one.

Adjusted value

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One of the most interesting things about the referral is how the prosecutor determined – using a series of certain criteria – the “true” value of the 59 players analyzed, while showing in black and white how significant the change was. Thus we find out that in the controversial Juventus-Barcelona operation, Miralem Pjanic was sold at the “correct” price (60 million 842 thousand) and that the value attributed to Arthur is not in dispute: the problem is Marquez and Pereira, which are fictitious. Capital gains 6.2 and 6 million, respectively. Another well-known name, Cancelo, the prosecutor did not raise doubts about the deal made with Manchester City: 65 million convince everyone. The situation was different in Juve’s Sampdoria operation with Odero, Peters and Molly as champions, and the goalkeeper was paid 20 million for an “adjusted value” (as defined by the prosecutor) 13, with a subsequent capital gain of 7. Also seen in Rovella in the Yuvilla Genoa deal with Petrelli and Portanova: The price is 18 million, the adjusted value is 6, and thus the capital gain is 12. And the figures of Portanova itself (10 million against 2 of the adjusted value) and Petrelli (8 million against one). We come to the Osimhen case: the player arrived in Naples from Lille for 71 million 250 thousand euros, adjusted value 52 million. But what stands out is the difference for players sent (with a bit of luck) to France: such as young Ciro Palmieri (price 7 million, correct value 100 thousand euros), Luigi Liguori and Claudio Manzi (4 million for Napoli). and 100,000 from the Prosecutor’s Office), Orestis Karnezis (5 million 130,000 vs. 500,000). In absolute terms, it is clear that both of the less important names that the clubs in question have, according to the accusation, have imposed their hands.

balance sheets

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From this analysis, it was possible to restate the financial statements of all eleven companies. For Juventus, for example, adjustments were made to “eliminate phantom capital gains” up to the quarterly report of March 31, 2021 in a total amount of 111 million 660 thousand euros, which if added to the loss announced by the club of 138 million 666. thousand euros, to more than 250 million, which also affects shareholder equity. For Serie A clubs (also deferred to direct liability), if found guilty, the penalties include only the fine. To risk something more serious, Pisa and Parma are in the second division.