Ħamrun Spartans president Joseph Portelli has seen a €1.3 million bid to acquire Italian Serie D side Siena Calcio turned down by the club's owners, Italian media report.

According to a report published by Gazzetta di Siena, the offer was made through the J.P. Portelli Group, which sought to take control of the historic Tuscan club. The proposal was ultimately rejected by Siena's top officials.

Gazzetta di Siena reported that the initial proposal amounted to €1 million for full ownership of the club. After this offer was declined, a second bid of €1.3 million was submitted in an attempt to persuade Siena's ownership to reconsider.

Despite the rejection, the report indicated that negotiations may remain open, with the possibility that a third offer, reportedly in the region of €1.5 million, could still be made.

Siena Calcio president Jonas Bodin, a Swedish businessman, is said to be unwilling to sell the club outright, though he may be open to the introduction of new partners.

Gazzetta di Siena reported that Portelli presented a detailed sporting project focused on strengthening the club's financial footing and implementing a long-term technical plan, as Siena has struggled in recent years. The proposal reportedly included significant investment in the youth sector, with the aim of guiding the club back up the Italian football pyramid.

Portelli is understood to harbour ambitions of leading an Italian club from the lower divisions to Serie A.

Siena enjoyed its most notable period in the early 2000s, earning promotion to Serie A in the 2003-04 season and remaining in the top flight for four seasons. The club returned to Serie A in the 2010-11 campaign but was relegated two years later. In 2014, severe financial difficulties led to bankruptcy, forcing Siena to restart in the fifth-tier Eccellenza before later returning to Serie D.