While the world of Italian football focuses on the mass resignation of the Juventus board, news is escaping of fellow Serie A clubs connected to their reported financial irregularities, with a multi-million Euro debt owed to Atalanta thought to be part of investigations.
The Bianconeri could owe La Dea as much as €7m relating to transfer dealings between the two clubs involving Dejan Kulusevski, Cristian Romero and Merih Demiral in recent seasons, yet the figure does not appear in the club’s accounting.
Swedish international Kulusevski is the only one of the trio who remains contracted to the Turin giants, despite being on loan at Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, and was purchased from Atalanta for a fee of €35m in January 2020.
Whereas, the two defenders have permanently left the Old Lady, after moving to the Bergamo-based club for €16m and €20m, respectively.
Arrivabene and Cherubini involved in Atalanta debt
Reports suggest that La Stampa has intercepted a document involving Juventus CEO Maurizio Arrivabene and references the unreported debt owed to the Nerazzurri, although Bianconeri sporting director Federico Cherubini had also confirmed the figure to magistrates when interviewed on November 27, 2021.
With Atalanta just three points behind Juventus sitting third in the Serie A standings and fighting with them for a Champions League qualification place this term, La Dea will be keen observers of the developments coming out of Turin in the coming months, should any sporting penalties hit the Old Lady.
What are Juventus being investigated for?
President Andrea Agnelli, vice-president Pavel Nedved, and CEO Maurizio Arrivabene were amongst those who tendered their resignation, with the club facing investigations into allegations of capital gains by inflating the values of players sold.
However, with additional allegations of financial fraud regarding payments of salaries that were recorded as being deferred, fans are understandably concerned that the club could face sporting sanctions in addition to any punishments meted out to individuals involved.
The salary payments could be the bigger issue for the Bianconeri. If the documents relating to the top-up of wages are found to have breached the FIGC’s ‘salary reduction’ agreements with all clubs in 2020 and 2021, a new case could be opened and the Bianconeri could see their position in Serie A under threat.
As per Article no.31 of the Sporting Justice Code, the “falsification of accounting or administrative documents or any other illegal or evasive activity” can lead to a points deduction or relegation.
