The executive director of Virtus Bologna, Luca Baraldi, and the general manager, Paolo Ronci, recently discussed the status of Toko Shengelia, a topic that has generated numerous transfer rumors this summer.
The Georgian national team player was speculated to be leaving Virtus. New destinations such as Crvena Zvezda and even Panathinaikos were mentioned. Shengelia confirmed there were contacts, but in the end, he chose to remain in Bologna.
“Shengelia has always given 200% for Virtus, and he will continue to do so in the future. Those who doubt this don’t truly know him or us. It wasn’t about money; if Virtus wanted to capitalize on Shengelia, we would have accepted a significant buyout offer that we received. But we believe he should be one of the leaders of our project,” said Baraldi during an interview on Radio Nettuno Bologna Uno.
Virtus Bologna CEO Luca Baraldi on Toko Shengelia and Panathinaikos rumors: «It was not a matter of money; if Virtus had wanted to capitalize on Shengelia, we would have accepted a significant buyout offer that we received. But we believe he should be one of the leaders of our… pic.twitter.com/RMNQtg0WbA
— Alessandro Luigi Maggi (@AlessandroMagg4) August 23, 2023
Paolo Ronci echoed the sentiments of the team’s leader.
“The EuroLeague reiterated that contacting the player’s parent club is required for a contracted player. We firmly affirmed our stance in protecting our work and the club’s image.”
After an eventful summer, the Georgian representative can now focus on his debut performance at the FIBA World Cup.
Financial matters were also discussed. Baraldi assured that there are no issues and fans can be at ease.
“I want to reassure the fans. In June, a press conference addressed many concerns regarding budget statements. We met with EuroLeague officials, and we consistently received messages of gratitude. We’ve taken on commitments and honored them, including adhering to financial fair play regulations. Claims that Zanetti is selling or stepping away are baseless. Zanetti is at the helm of this company in terms of shares and successfully attracted a new partner like Gherardini. All enthusiasts should be proud of that,” stated Baraldi.
The next question revolved around the club’s participation in the EuroLeague next season. Baraldi firmly conveyed that there was no doubt about their participation.
“We had our position in the EuroLeague; Valencia was under threat. Valencia belongs to the Mercadona brothers, who are four times larger than Esselunga, with a revenue of €30 million. This company’s work is recognized for its integrity and solidity,” Baraldi confidently responded.