Soccer-Saddam lawyer eyes investment in Irish soccer club

— -- DUBLIN, April 20 - One of Saddam Hussein's lawyers, controversial advocate Giovanni di Stefano, is considering investing over one million euros ($1.24 million) in Irish football team Shelbourne FC, the club said on Thursday. The Anglo-Italian lawyer, who also once worked on behalf of former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, is reported to want total control of the cash-strapped club if he gets the chance. He will hold talks with Shelbourne next week. Shelbourne chief executive Ollie Byrne told Reuters: "He said he'd like a modest investment -- you could take it that wasn't less than a million (euros)." "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.