President Steven Zhang said Inter ‘aspire to win’, praised coach Antonio Conte and admitted the Nerazzurri were never in for Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi.
The Nerazzurri patron reveals Inter have to sell to buy in the current transfer market but warns things have changed in football.
“Football is experiencing a very delicate and turbulent moment at international level, this attitude of prudence will not only concern the current transfer market but must be respected in the future too,” Zhang told Corriere della Sera.
President Steven Zhang said Inter ‘aspire to win’, praised coach Antonio Conte and admitted the Nerazzurri were never in for Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi.
The Nerazzurri patron reveals Inter have to sell to buy in the current transfer market but warns things have changed in football.
“Football is experiencing a very delicate and turbulent moment at international level, this attitude of prudence will not only concern the current transfer market but must be respected in the future too,” Zhang told Corriere della Sera.
“It’s part of a message of continuity within a financially stable project.”
The President praised Conte, who took Inter to second in Serie A, the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia and finished runners-up in the Europa League in his first season at the Giuseppe Meazza.
“All of Inter are aiming for victory, this aspiration is part of our mission. Never have I seen someone who works so hard, with such intensity, as Conte.
“This characteristic also unites us. So does the attention to detail. I follow a principle, the sense of belonging.
“When I hire a professional, I speak in general, any employee of Inter, who has a very specific role, I intend to work with that woman, that man, that worker of ours, for a lifetime. This too is a value of growth.”
The summit with Conte after the Europa League Final at Villa Bellini was one of the many meetings aimed at the growth of Inter.
“Let me tell you that the tone of that summit was dramatized,” he added. “Reflection was necessary.
“I found a calm coach, constructive, far from the mood told by the media. When he sits around a table, he expresses his ideas in a calm way, finalising his proposals for the good of the team and the club.
“And that’s how the summit with him and the Inter managers was.”
Lionel Messi, who handed in a transfer request last month, has been linked with a move to Inter in recent months but Zhang admitted the Beneamata were never in for the Barcelona talisman.
“No, such an investment can’t be part of our project. At least not at this moment. Innovation, planning, constant growth and economic stability are our cornerstones.”