Milan and Inter reject San Siro renovation plan but make new proposal | OneFootball

Milano’s Mayor Beppe Sala confirms Milan and Inter are unwilling to pay for the Stadio Meazza renovation but are open to building a new stadium in the San Siro area.

Inter and Milan directors met on Friday with representatives of the Milano City Council to discuss the latest steps in developing a new stadium for the clubs.

As reported by Gazzetta, Giorgio Furlani (Milan), Alessandro Antonello (Inter), and Oaktree directors Katherine Ralph and Carlo Ligori attended the meeting.

There was a plan to renovate the Stadio Meazza, with Inter and Milan buying the stadium’s rights and paying for the works, but the Milanese sides have rejected this proposal.

“The clubs have rejected the chance to renovate San Siro,” Sala told reporters at the end of the meeting, as quoted by Gazzetta.

“I’ve noticed the chemistry between the two clubs is pretty strong. This is surely positive. The clubs brought a long analysis regarding the technical and financial feasibility of renovating San Siro. The conclusion is that it can’t be updated with affordable prices. They don’t consider [renovating] San Siro, as we thought in the last few months,” Sala added.

Milan and Inter reject San Siro renovation plan but make new proposal

“They propose to build a new stadium close to the Stadio Meazza. It’s a very long process, which we have already discussed. There is resistance regarding the referendum, for example. We don’t start from scratch but from a series of decisions that have already been made.”

It is indeed a very long story. A project for a new stadium in the San Siro area called ‘The Cathedral’, was unveiled in 2021. However, it was soon abandoned as, aside from protests from people living in the neighbourhood, it required demolishing the Stadio Meazza, which couldn’t be done because of its cultural interest.

“The club asked about the value of San Siro and the surrounding area,” Sala added.

“We expect a first assessment from the tax agencies. The first issue is the economic value. We don’t want to give it away for a lower value, but we don’t even want to speculate. The second is to understand the nature of the cultural bond and what changes with new owners. We have already scheduled a meeting for next week. The third request is about the timing.”

Sala added that the tax agencies will assess the value of the San Siro area around February 2025.

In the meantime, Inter and Milan “must send a project shortly,” continued Sala.

“I’ve only requested one thing. The confirmation that this is the only option. The meeting was serene. There isn’t much I can add. Building stadiums in Italy is never easy.

“The Stadio Meazza could be lightened but not demolished,” concluded Sala.

“As of today, I can’t ask the clubs to abandon the other projects, but of course, if they pick a new stadium [close to San Siro], I’ll ask for guarantees.”

Currently, Milan and Inter are working on two separate projects. Milan have identified the San Donato Area as a possible site for their new stadium, while Inter have picked Rozzano. Recent reports, however, suggest the clubs are also considering building a new joint stadium in San Donato to share costs.