Torino president Urbano Cairo addressed recent speculation regarding the future of the club and its players during an interview with Radio Sportiva. With persistent rumours about a potential sale of the club, Cairo made it clear that he is not looking to sell, but is open to listening to offers from wealthier investors.
“I do not sell Torino, but I do not want to remain here for life. I invested 10 million euros to take over Torino when it was on the brink of bankruptcy,” Cairo stated, reflecting on his commitment since acquiring the club in 2005. He added, “If someone richer than me comes forward, I am ready to listen to proposals.”
Cairo also dismissed rumours of negotiations with Red Bull and the Saudi Arabian investment fund PIF, emphasizing that these claims are unfounded. “I met with Red Bull on July 1; they wanted to get to know me as a potential sponsor, and that was it. Since then, I have not met them again. As for PIF, I don’t even know them. There has been no contact; it’s all made up.” He suggested that there might be motives behind these rumours aimed at destabilizing the club’s environment but reassured fans of their importance: “The support we have received from fans in the past has been crucial. Some fans may be against me; that can happen, but if you support Torino, it’s important to back the team.”
Cairo acknowledged the growing discontent among fans, who have increasingly voiced their frustrations over recent months. “I conducted a survey which showed that most fans are on my side. Throughout my life, I have always had ambition—the same ambition I have for Torino. There are objective difficulties in competing against teams with revenues four times greater than ours. I remember how it was for Torino; people wanted us to stay in Serie A consistently, and we have done so for 13 years now,” he reflected.
Turning his attention to the transfer market, Cairo confirmed that midfielder Samuele Ricci will not be leaving the club anytime soon. “Ricci will definitely stay. Right now, I am in my offices with Vagnati and my collaborators to define our strategy for January’s transfer market. I don’t want to anticipate everything, but our ideas are clear,” he said.
