Sartori aims to set up feeder club
SUNDERLAND shareholder Juan Sartori wants the Black Cats to follow Manchester City and invest in a feeder club in his native Uruguay, writes JAMES HUNTER.
Sartori, who holds a 20% stake in the Wearsiders, says he studied a number of potential Uruguayan clubs in which Sunderland could become involved but says he ran out of time to complete the project, although he has not given up on the idea.
“I would love Sunderland to have an affiliated club in Uruguay,” said Sartori, who has now entered politics in his homeland and was elected as a senator in February.
“I studied a number of Uruguayan clubs to be able to do it but due to lack of time I could not complete that project. I will surely end up doing it.”
Sartori (below) held a meeting with the president of the Uruguayan FA (AUF) Ignacio Alonso to discuss ways to encourage overseas investment in football in the South American country following the decision of the City Football Group – which owns Premier League giants Manchester City, MLS side New York City and Australian team Melbourne City – to invest in Montevideo City Torque.
He said of his meeting with Alonso: “We have a common vision - the social and national importance of Uruguayan soccer, which could be better organized.
“We exchanged points of view. I gave him my vision of European football, professionalism and organization, which is what we want there to be in Uruguay.”
He added: “I want to encourage more groups to join professional soccer in Uruguay as the City Group did with Torque.
“I know a large number of groups who want to participate in Uruguay but it is important to determine what conditions of guarantees the AUF can generate.”
The work permit criteria for signing players from outside the EU would make it virtually impossible for Sunderland to bring in youngsters to join their academy.
Sartori’s latest idea of Sunderland investing in a Uruguayan club is unlikely to happen either, the Black Cats needing to spend any money they have on getting out of League One.