Former general manager Marco Fassone reveals Yaya Toure “seemed convinced” to join Inter, but Manchester City blocked any transfer.
The Ivorian was repeatedly linked with the Nerazzurri this summer, and a reunion with Coach Roberto Mancini, but in the end the midfielder stayed in England.
“Sometimes Mancini suggested players, like Toure,” Fassone explained to SportItalia.
Former general manager Marco Fassone reveals Yaya Toure “seemed convinced” to join Inter, but Manchester City blocked any transfer.
The Ivorian was repeatedly linked with the Nerazzurri this summer, and a reunion with Coach Roberto Mancini, but in the end the midfielder stayed in England.
“Sometimes Mancini suggested players, like Toure,” Fassone explained to SportItalia.
“He was never close to Inter, because of the conditions imposed by Manchester City, [but] there was a time when the player seemed convinced of the project.”
Fassone also denied suggestions that Mancini has received stronger backing in the transfer market than his predecessor, Walter Mazzarri.
“It’s not that with Mazzarri we didn’t buy the players he wanted, and Mancini we did. We had the same policy with both, buy maybe the two Coaches had different ambitions.
“When a Coach has a philosophy, you can extend his contract or fire him. After the first-place finish in his first year, which was the minimum objective, we thought things could get better.
“Unfortunately things went the way they did, and we lost a year.
“As for Mancini, I had a great relationship with Roberto. I think he agreed to return because of myself and [Piero] Ausilio, he was disappointed when I visited him on the night I left.
“He was surprised and saddened, so I don’t think Mancini influenced the decision.”
The Nerazzurri brought in Geoffrey Kondogbia for a reported €40m this summer, and the former director explained the deal.
“The deal went as publicised,” Fassone admitted.
“We could bring less money to the table than Milan, and I think the fact that Mancini spoke to Geoffrey was decisive.
“The player was more expensive than expected, but that’s normal when it becomes an auction.
“Was it €30m plus bonuses? What you’ve read in the papers is in line with the truth.”