Inter have announced this week that 18-year-old new signing Mateo Kovacic will take over their number 10 shirt.
Following Wesley Sneijder’s departure to Galatasaray, the young Croat, who wore eight on his shirt at Dinamo Zagreb, will take the shirt vacated by the Dutchman.
It is a signal of intent for Inter that they think Kovacic is ready for the first team and is particularly apt that, having been compared to Roberto Baggio, he will be wearing the same shirt number that Baggio wore during his spell at Inter.
Kovacic, who signed for €15m this week, joins an Inter side sitting fourth in Serie A and has been training with the team this week ahead of Inter’s trip to bottom club Siena, though he is not expected to start the game.
The Croatian Under-21 International follows some great players in wearing the number ten shirt for the Nerazzurri and will be hoping to match their achievements.
Before Sneijder, there was Adriano, and before him, Clarence Seedorf. There is, however, a cautionary tale in the shirt, if we go back to 2002/03 when Domenico Morfeo was given the shirt.
Morfeo, too, was a prodigiously talented youngster, but never fulfilled the potential that persuaded Fiorentina to spend €15m for his services.
