Planned Russian takeover of Roma stalls over probe

A planned takeover of Serie A club AS Roma by Russian company Nafta Moscow has stalled because of an Italian probe into false accounting, according to a lawyer representing the company.

“The negotiations were called off at 3am” Salvatore Trifiro said yesterday.

“We were in the phase of closing the deal when the news arrived regarding these investigations by the finance police into the accounts of the various clubs.