Como 1907’s €20M bid for Davinson Sánchez signals Serie A club’s growing ambitions under blockchain-forward ownership
The Italian club's pursuit of the Galatasaray defender reflects a broader trend of ambitious spending by crypto and tech-adjacent ownership groups reshaping European football.
Como 1907 has tabled a €20M offer for Colombian centre-back Davinson Sánchez, a move that underscores just how far the once-obscure Italian club has come since being purchased for roughly €800K in 2019. The bid, reportedly structured as €18M in base fees plus €2M in performance-related add-ons, is the latest signal that Como’s billionaire owners are serious about competing at the top of Italian football.
Galatasaray, for its part, is not exactly rushing to the negotiating table with open arms. The Turkish giants are reportedly holding out for somewhere between €25M and €35M, a significant gap that suggests these talks could drag on.
The deal on the table
Sánchez joined Galatasaray from Tottenham Hotspur in September 2023 for €9.5M, having made over 200 appearances for Tottenham prior to that move. The defender’s contract runs until June 2029, which gives Galatasaray considerable leverage.
What works in Como’s favor is that Sánchez himself is reportedly open to the move. The lure of playing under coach Cesc Fàbregas, the former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder turned manager, seems to be a meaningful draw. The prospect of Champions League football adds another layer of appeal for the Colombian international.
Como is not the only club circling. Inter Milan and several Saudi Arabian clubs have also been linked with monitoring Sánchez’s situation, which could trigger a bidding war and push the final price closer to Galatasaray’s asking range.
Como’s remarkable rise and ownership
The club was languishing in Serie D, Italy’s fourth tier, when Indonesian billionaires Robert and Michael Hartono acquired it in 2019 for a reported €800K. From Serie D to Serie A in the span of five years, the club completed its return to Italy’s top flight in 2024. The Hartono brothers’ fortune stems from tobacco and tech conglomerate Djarum Group.
The gap between Como’s €20M bid and Galatasaray’s €25-35M valuation is meaningful. If the deal closes near the midpoint, it would represent one of Como’s most significant transfer outlays since returning to Serie A. That kind of spending, by a club that cost less than a million euros to acquire just a few years ago, illustrates how quickly capital can transform a football operation when paired with strategic ambition.