Former SPL chief discloses ‘substantial’ Celtic investment offer, forecasts new managerial appointment.

Former Scottish Premier League chief executive Roger Mitchell has revealed that the possibility of fresh investment in Celtic was discussed extensively during a major sports business gathering in Italy.

Mitchell, who is now the founder of Albachiara SAGL, attended the Sport Summit Como event on the shores of Lake Como, where football and wider sporting business matters were among the topics being discussed.

Roger Mitchell has revealed Celtic investment was a hot topic at the Sport Summit Como conference (Image: Shutterstock)

According to Mitchell, Celtic’s potential for investment became one of the subjects of serious conversation during the conference. He has now claimed that one particularly interested individual approached him afterwards with a proposal to explore the possibility of investing in the Scottish giants.

The approach appears to have gone beyond casual conversation, with Mitchell describing the potential investor as a “very serious” person who wanted to take the matter further.

Mitchell subsequently revealed details of the conversation on social media, explaining that the individual effectively asked him to help make the investment idea a reality.

The former SPL chief also referred to a familiar obstacle whenever potential investment in Celtic is discussed: the position of principal shareholder Dermot Desmond.

Mitchell suggested that the response he repeatedly encounters when discussing possible investment in the club is that “DD won’t sell”.

Desmond has been Celtic’s principal shareholder for many years and remains one of the most influential figures at the club. His position has frequently been cited whenever questions arise about outside investors potentially acquiring a significant stake in Celtic.

However, Mitchell’s comments suggest that interest in the club continues to exist among people with the financial capacity and ambition to explore an investment.

Writing on X, Mitchell explained that the investment case for Celtic had been discussed “at length” during the event in Como.

He then claimed that one of the people involved in those conversations contacted him afterwards and made it clear that they wanted to pursue the matter seriously.

Mitchell wrote that the individual effectively told him: “let’s do this for real and you’ll help me.”

Despite that apparent interest, Mitchell again pointed towards the perceived barrier surrounding Desmond’s position.

“‘DD won’t sell’ is always the reply in these cases,” Mitchell stated.

His comments are likely to attract attention among Celtic supporters, particularly at a time when the club’s ownership and board structure continue to generate debate.

Investment in Celtic has periodically been raised as supporters consider the club’s financial position, ambitions and ability to compete at a higher level. While Celtic have remained one of Scotland’s dominant clubs domestically, there have also been repeated discussions about whether greater outside investment could help the club close the financial gap with bigger European competitors.

Mitchell’s comments do not indicate that a takeover or investment agreement is imminent. Instead, they reveal that there is at least interest from individuals who appear willing to investigate the possibility.

Interestingly, Mitchell’s post did not focus exclusively on potential ownership changes.

He also used the opportunity to make a striking suggestion about who he would consider appointing as Celtic manager if he were in a position to make such a decision.

Mitchell indicated that Antonio Conte would be someone he would have spoken to about becoming the next Celtic manager.

The former Chelsea, Juventus and Italy boss remains one of the most recognisable managers in European football, having built a reputation for demanding standards, tactical discipline and success at some of the biggest clubs in the game.

Mitchell appeared to connect Conte’s managerial ambitions with Celtic’s own history.

He shared a post containing comments from Conte in which the Italian discussed his desire to work with a club that had lost some connection with its past.

Conte spoke about clubs that had, in his words, “somewhat lost sight of their history”.

He then explained that he would like to take charge of one of those clubs, with the objective of “dusting off that history and making it shine once more”.

Mitchell clearly saw a potential connection between those comments and Celtic.

The former SPL chief included Conte’s remarks alongside his post about the investment discussion, effectively suggesting that the Italian’s philosophy could make him an interesting candidate for the Parkhead job.

That does not mean Conte has been approached by Celtic or that there is any indication he is being considered by the current Celtic hierarchy. Mitchell was instead explaining who he personally would have spoken to if he had influence over the club’s decision-making.

Nevertheless, the suggestion is bound to create debate among supporters.

Conte has managed at the highest level and has won league titles in England and Italy, while also enjoying success with Juventus, Inter Milan and Chelsea. His demanding approach and experience of competing for major honours would represent a very different proposition from the typical managerial appointments seen in Scottish football.

The financial implications of such an appointment would also be significant, particularly given Conte’s standing in European football.

For Celtic supporters, Mitchell’s comments therefore raise two separate but connected questions.

The first concerns whether serious outside investors could eventually become involved at Parkhead if Desmond were prepared to sell or reduce his stake.

The second is whether an ambitious new ownership structure could potentially lead to a different level of managerial ambition.

For now, there is no indication of an imminent change in Celtic’s ownership or confirmation that Conte is being considered for the manager’s position.

However, Mitchell’s revelations have once again placed investment and the club’s long-term direction firmly into the spotlight.

The former SPL chief’s account suggests that interest in Celtic exists beyond Scotland, while his mention of Conte provides supporters with an intriguing glimpse of the type of manager he believes could help restore the club’s historical stature.

Whether either possibility develops into something concrete remains to be seen.