Congratulations to Inter Milan, 2 Core Players Announce Loyalty to the Team, 3 Measures to Help Aim for the Champions League
Who are the core players of Inter Milan today? Some might say it's the team captain, Serie A top scorer, Copa America top scorer, and Argentine forward Lautaro Martinez, who is valued at 100 million euros, or the four-time Serie A best midfielder and double midfield core of Italy and Inter Milan: local leader Barella. However, more fans would probably agree that President Marotta and coach Inzaghi are the true core of the team.
After the financial crisis caused by the pandemic, it was these two who worked together to allow Inter Milan to maintain its top-level competitiveness in the five major leagues despite four consecutive seasons with zero transfer spending and the sale of world-class players such as Lukaku, Hakimi, and Brozovic. Not only did they win the 20th Serie A title, but they also reached the Champions League final.
Recently, two pieces of news have reassured Inter Milan fans. On December 23rd, during a routine interview, coach Inzaghi faced media questions about renewal rumors and stated that he is very happy at Inter Milan. Both the management and the players and fans have made him feel the warmth and love of a family. He is willing to stay at Inter Milan for as long as possible, breaking the recent rumors that he would move to an English Premier League giant, effectively binding his fate with Inter Milan.
On December 25th, during Inter Milan's Christmas special program, President Marotta also mentioned that he has already regarded Inter Milan as the last stop of his career and hopes to stay at the club for as long as possible. It can be said that locking down the "double core" of the team is the best Christmas gift for Inter Milan fans.
In the interview, Marotta also talked about the club's three goals.
1: Champions League Title
Marotta believes that the Champions League is a long-term goal for Inter Milan. The UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations allow Inter Milan, despite financial shortages, to compete with those wealthy giants. Over the past four years, Inter Milan has reduced losses caused by the pandemic from 240 million euros to 40 million euros last season. This season, with increased Champions League revenue and participation in the Club World Cup, as well as the effectiveness of Nike's jersey sponsorship and new chest advertising, there is hope for a balanced budget. Continuously improving finances will allow the team to further enhance its competitiveness.
2: Team Youthification
Marotta does not believe that blindly pursuing youthification is the right approach. He prefers to build a team centered on mid-career players, with veterans providing experience and locker room management, and then creating good space for young player growth. Therefore, Inter Milan's youthification will only proceed gradually under reasonable circumstances. Next season, Inter Milan plans to introduce 2-3 players under the age of 23 to replace older players. In short, youthification exists, but it will be benign. At this stage, young players with high relevance to Inter Milan include Argentine newcomer Nico Pas and Italian young talent Bertola.
3: Introducing 'Ball King' Players
The term "ball king" refers specifically to midfielders who excel in passing, controlling, and dribbling. These players, capable of changing the course of a game at any time, often command high transfer fees and are currently lacking in Inter Milan's lineup.
Inter Milan's idea of introducing such players has been tacitly accepted by Marotta. However, judging from the introduction channels, they do not plan to buy established players but instead select young players from the top five leagues and native South American players. These two channels of recruitment will undoubtedly significantly reduce transaction costs.
Currently, there are two players on Inter Milan's transfer list. One is 20-year-old Argentine international Nico Pas, who plays for Como and whose priority buyback rights are held by Real Madrid. The transaction could reach 40 million euros.
The other is 23-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder Almada, who plays for Brazilian Botafogo. Although also an Argentine international, Almada's value is even lower because he has never proven himself in the top five leagues. It is expected that he could be acquired for 25 million euros.
Clearly, a stable management and coaching team bring a relatively stable and long-term rational plan for a giant like Inter Milan. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, Inter Milan fans will truly see their beloved club reach the pinnacle of the Champions League.