Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 7y

Inter Milan back city mayor's proposals for San Siro stadium redevelopment

Inter Milan have backed a suggestion by city mayor Bappe Sala that the stadium should be redeveloped by its two resident clubs and brought up to modern standards.

Sala told Gazzetta dello Sport he would like to hold talks with representatives of Inter and rivals AC Milan to discuss the venue's future.

Milan city council currently owns the stadium, with Inter and Milan its only tenants, and Sala would like the clubs to commit to investment that would support ambitions of attracting the 2018 Olympic Games to the city.

And Inter president Erick Thohir told his club's official website: "A new San Siro is vitally important to Inter.

"I've been president of this club for almost three years and I have always firmly believed that renovating the San Siro -- our home -- is a crucial step we must take if we're to become one of the world's top 10 clubs.

"Inter want to remain at the San Siro and invest significantly in it. We're happy that we're on exactly the same wavelength as the mayor in that we see the new San Siro as a hugely important project for Milan and Milanese football."

Last year, AC Milan shelved plans to build a new stadium on the site of the city's former trade fair.

And Steven Zhang, of Inter owners Suning Holdings Group, said Inter now wanted to help bring about a San Siro that offered "facilities and entertainment 365 days a year."

He added: "We want it to become the stadium of Inter fans' dreams -- even more than it already is.

"Having an ultra-modern facility is crucial for the club so we can make the fans feel as comfortable as possible and therefore contribute to improving results on the pitch."

Sala wants to discuss his ideas with both clubs, but the ongoing takeover of AC Milan by Chinese investors -- expected to be completed by the end of the year -- means discussions with them may have to wait.

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