Pellegrini: Sale reports affecting Malaga players
Reuters - Sunday 29 July 2012, 13:18
Reports Malaga's Qatari owner has put
the club up for sale are affecting the players but they remain
focused on preparing for the La Liga season starting in three
weeks, coach Manuel Pellegrini said.
Marca, As and other Spanish media reported on Saturday,
without naming the source of their information, that Malaga
owner Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nassar Al-Thani - a member of the
Qatar royal family - wanted to sell up after only two years.
Talks have started with Albanian oil magnate Rezart Taci
while another potential buyer was Qatar Investment Authority,
owner of Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain, As said.
"We are focused on the sporting side of things but when
there are so many rumours it has to have an effect, also being
away from Spain," Pellegrini said at a news conference in
Caracas during the club's tour of Venezuela.
"But we are calm because we have been working very well,"
added the Chilean.
"We'll see when we get back to Spain, see which rumours are
true and which are not.
"Until there is a certain clarity about what is going on
it's not good to express opinions.
"We'll be back in Spain on Tuesday and we'll see what we
find there."
Al-Thani agreed to pay €36 million for
the Andalusian club in June 2010 and heavy investment in players
helped them finish fourth last season and secure a lucrative
place in the Champions League.
However, financial problems have cast doubt over Al-Thani's
commitment.
The club were banned from registering new players in January
until an outstanding debt to La Liga rivals Osasuna had been
settled and some players complained of delays in wage payments.
The reason for the delay in paying Osasuna was "the
complexity of approving budgets and transactions with foreign
entities", the club said.
Malaga's preparations for the coming season have also been
disrupted by reports their best player, Spain playmaker Santi
Cazorla, is poised to leave by possibly joining Arsenal in the
Premier League.