Two parties interested in China's Inter Shanghai

Shanghai 9th City owner Zhu Jun and his Dalian Shide counterpart Xu Ming are interested in buying China Super League club Inter Shanghai, Sinosoc reported. Chinese online gaming giants 9th City, whose business also includes real estate, invested in China League side Shanghai 9th City last year, but with no promotion this season and the team in the bottom half of the table after disappointing performances Zhu Jun wants to get his hands on a CSL club.

According to Sinosoc, Zhu has already been approached by Shenzhen Jianlibao, Sichuan Guancheng and Inter Shanghai, with the latter the preferred option as 9th City want to invest in a Shanghai top-flight club with a good reputation to promote their brand. "He has already contacted Inter Shanghai but has had his initial offer of RMB15m turned down."

"Dalian Shide owner Xu Ming also has his eyes on Inter Shanghai, but would be forced to pursue any interest through another company, like he did in the past with Sichuan Guancheng, as according to CFA regulations two sides in the same league cannot be owned by the same company. Xu Ming sees Shanghai as the ideal place to continue promoting the Shide brand after Chengdu in China's western Sichuan province.

"Inter Shanghai are currently fronted by Shanghai Yungtay Engineering, though any formal bids to buy the club would go through former chairman Xu Zexian, who is still recognised as the real boss. Xu Zexian, who failed in his bid to move the club to Xi'an last December to promote his real estate business in the Shaanxi province capital, would probably only be willing to sell Inter Shanghai for around RMB 30 million, double Zhu Jun's asking price," Sinosoc commented.