Di Stefano requests Shels talks

Di Stefano was previously a director of Scottish club Dundee

One of Saddam Hussein's lawyers, Giovanni di Stefano, is considering investing over £750,000 in Irish football club Shelbourne.

The Anglo-Italian lawyer will hold talks with the club next week.

"He said he'd like a modest investment - you could take it that wasn't less than a million Euros," said Shelbourne chief executive Ollie Byrne.

Di Stefano was a director of Scottish club Dundee before leaving the club two seasons ago.

His promise to invest £26m in the Scottish club helped attract big names like Fabrizio Ravanelli and Craig Burley to the club but he quit the cash-strapped outfit in January 2004.

The Anglo-Italian lawyer, who also once worked on behalf of former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, is reported to want total control of the Dublin club if he gets the chance.

Shelbourne official Byrne said that the club's decision to meet Di Stefano didn't mean that a deal was certain.

"If somebody asks for a meeting with you, you meet them as a courtesy, but it doesn't mean you're getting into bed with them," he added.

Di Stefano was unavailable to comment, but the Irish Daily Mirror quoted him on Thursday saying: "I want to invest in Shelbourne and make them a top club in the European Champions League."

"If I got the opportunity for total control of Shelbourne, I would take it," he added.

A Shelbourne spokesman said the meeting had been scheduled for Monday at a Dublin hotel.

Di Stefano is one of the lawyers representing ousted Iraqi president Saddam, who is on trial for crimes against humanity.