Inter are no strangers to feeling under pressure but on June 10, 2023, they didn’t have to be. After their Serie A victory in 2021, there was a fair bit of expectation for them going into the UEFA Champions League final. The last time they had lifted the trophy was in 2010, with José Mourinho in charge. With star players like Lautaro Martinez, Nicolò Barella and Marcelo Brozovic leading the charge, they could play without fear against Manchester City.
Inter had already achieved something that the Premier League giants hadn’t. Over the previous five seasons, the Nerazzurri had only spent €498m on transfer fees. Manchester City had invested €705m and were only second to Chelsea with over €1 billion. Despite being on a shoestring budget, Inter had earned a placement in a huge stadium, on the biggest stage facing one of the best clubs in the world.
When it comes to the biggest events, Inter have proven they don’t need massive cash injections to succeed. It’s true they didn’t get over the line in the Champions League Final last summer, but in a way, they had already achieved much. Inter felt they had nothing to lose when the arrived in Istanbul, but when they took the pitch, they realised the difference between them and Pep Guardiola’s side wasn’t as big as many thought.
Transfer strategy
There was little pressure on them in June, but there is much more now that everyone in Europe sees them as the best team in Italy. It’s no coincidence they are favourite against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16. Thanks to their belief, confidence, quality and experience, Inter managed to qualify for the Champions League Final last year and they deservedly did so. Star striker Lautaro Martinez, their best scorer in a calendar year in the 2000s, had netted three goals in 13 Champions League appearances last term, but twice in knock-out games against Benfica and, most importantly, Milan. Hakan Calhanoglu and Barella were also high on the list of potential threats for Manchester City, not to mention their ex-striker Edin Dzeko.
Talking about the Bosnian, he is an example of how Serie A clubs have often signed experienced players in the final years of their careers in a very selective manner. These footballers have played at the highest levels for a considerable number of years, and signing them in their 30s is a strategy that Inter have been using since 2020. It’s a formula that can work in the short term – and it’s one of the reasons why Inter could keep their spending budget so low – but it also has contraindications.
As Inter move through the 2023-24 season, the average age of their players is close to 30 years old (28.2), which makes them the ‘oldest’ club in the league. This means the Nerazzurri are not far away from a complete revamp of their team. Contract extensions for Lautaro Martinez and Federico Dimarco will be finalised soon, but there are key positions where they’ll need to rejuvenate, especially in defence and, potentially, in goal, even if the 35-year-old Yann Sommer has just arrived. Alexis Sanchez and Marko Arnautovic are other players who are not expected to play at the highest levels for a long time, so Inter must reflect wisely.
Future
For fans, however, there should be a lot of hope. First of all, Inter’s squad isn’t full of old players. There is plenty of young talent, including Kristjan Asllani, Davide Frattesi, and Yann Aurel Bisseck. These are players who are being coached and educated by the older crew and will perhaps help Inter to reach another Champions League Final in the near future. With experience and knowledge being passed on by the ‘senators’ and by the time the team is wholly rejuvenated, there should be a wealth of experience and a strong mental mindset.
Transfers will do the rest. Beppe Marotta and President Steven Zhang have recently reiterated how ‘competitiveness’ and ‘sustainability’ must be balanced and Inter have been doing it perfectly after the COVID pandemic. A big name leaves each year, but the Nerazzurri still manage to strengthen their squad somehow. André Onana isn’t missed at San Siro, and the same is true of Milan Skriniar, even if the latter joined PSG on a free transfer last summer. Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi also left the team over the last few years, but Inter have always remained at the highest levels in Serie A. Despite a thin transfer budget, they probably have the best and deepest team in Italy and it will be up to them to handle the pressure and win their first Scudetto in the Inzaghi era, which would also bring a long-awaited second star on their chests.