Erick Thohir and Piero Ausilio have clarified Inter’s approach to the transfer market and use Nemanja Vidic as an example to follow.
Erick Thohir and Piero Ausilio have clarified Inter’s approach to the transfer market and use Nemanja Vidic as an example to follow.
The former Manchester United captain arrived this summer on a Bosman deal at the expiry of his contract at Old Trafford, but has come under early scrutiny for a list of mistakes made in Serie A.
Considering market strategy, it was put to President Erick Thohir at today’s post-shareholders’ meeting conference that marketing dictated certain moves, like that for Vidic.
“It’s not just about marketing. When a player joins Inter, they still need to ‘qualify’, Thohir has responded to reporters.
“His name is not enough. When we buy new players, we need technical qualities and not marketing ones.
“But considering that we decide as a team, we also take into consideration marketing influences.
“We meet sponsors in order to understand their opinions but we can’t buy Chinese players if they are not good enough for us.
“Those who wear Inter’s shirt must be able to fight for that shirt as Inter players.”
Sporting director Ausilio was sitting alongside the Indonesian and added his viewpoint.
“I’ve known Thohir for a while now and I can confirm this. Apart from focusing on markets that might be key for the growth of the brand, nobody ever asked me anything that wasn’t strictly technical.
“We always look for players that can improve Inter’s quality regardless of their provenance.
“Nemanja Vidic is an example of this. He was a great operation because he arrived here intact and for free.
“He’s the got a great mentality and he will show what it means to be a winner. He has been a lynchpin to a historical club like Manchester United.
“I am sure that on the market there are other solutions like him, older or younger than him.
“There are very talented players that we are following, others that are made attractive because of their expiring contracts.
“We are aware of the fact that we cannot improve only by buying €20-30m players. We’ve got to be realistic and we need to buy good prospects, like those of Mauro Icardi, Mateo Kovacic and Dodo.”