Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has dismissed claims of the club being up for sale.

La Repubblica says an American group are in talks with Ferrero over a €100m buy-out, with Gianluca Vialli said to be involved.

But the president said: “Sampdoria is not for sale, not for those figures.

“It's just people who want to gain attention.

“When you want to buy a team, you do it in silence. No speculation, just as I did when I bought Sampdoria and nobody knew until the announcement."