NAPLES, July 6: A Rome businessman said yesterday he wanted to buy struggling Italian club Napoli for 100 billion lire (52-84 million dollars), reports Reuters.

Aurelio De Laurentlis, who owns a film production company, told a news conference he would pay 50 billion lire for the ownership of the club and a further 50 billion to underwrite the contracts and salaries of all current players.

Napoli are owned by businessman Carrado Ferlaino who has refused to sell his controlling stake despite intense criticism from fans.

Diego Maradona, who guided Napoli to their golden era in the late 1980s. offered to bail out the club last year but asked for the presidency in return and was denied by Ferlaino.

Napoli were relegated five months later and remained stuck in Serie B last season.

Former Napoli chairman Roberto Fiore was with De Lau-rentiis at the news conference and criticised Ferlaino over his handling of the club.

"He's brought Napoli to ruin, mixing his own personal business with that of the club," Fiore said. The balance sheets are not transparent."

About 150 Napoli fans gathered outside to applaud De Lau-rentiis and demand Ferlaino's resignation.

Napoli won the Italian double in 1987 — the season Maradona joined them. They went on to claim the UEFA Cup in 1989-and a second championship title in 1990 but have won nothing since the former Argentine captain left in 1992.