Inter transfer chief Marco Branca has explained the reasons why the club decided to sell Mario Balotelli and Mattia Destro.

Inter transfer chief Marco Branca has explained the reasons why the club decided to sell Mario Balotelli and Mattia Destro.

The strikers are two of the country’s most promising players and are in the plans of Italy boss Cesare Prandelli for World Cup 2014.

However, they are men who Inter decided to sacrifice in the past. Balotelli, 22, joined Manchester City in 2010 and 21-year-old Destro moved to Genoa in the same summer.

“Mario left following our Treble success,” Branca told Sky Sport Italia. “Even after that, we had to think about finances.

“If the transfer market at the time could only offer the possibility to monetize then you have to make small sacrifices.”

Balotelli was sold for around €22m, while Destro was sent to Marassi as part of the deal that saw Inter sign Andrea Ranocchia.

“We sold Destro because of a defensive emergency,” added the former forward. “We needed to make an investment in a strong young Italian defender for the future.

“In order to get Ranocchia we had to sacrifice Destro. The dynamics of it were simple really.”

Destro is now at Roma after his break-out season at Siena last term.

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