On Monday, Inter sent shock-waves reverberating throughout European football after completing the mammoth signing of Monaco star Geoffrey Kondogbia.
The French international didn’t come cheap; in fact his reported €40 million makes him the third-most expensive transfer in the Nerazzurri’s history just behind Hernan Crespo and Christian Vieri, and the five-year contract worth €4.5 million a season makes him the club’s highest earner ahead of Mauro Icardi.
It is clear that from the money being expended that Inter, the president Erick Thohir and coach Roberto Mancini have put huge faith in the 22-year-old to try and change the recent fortunes of the struggling Italian giants around. Inter finished in a disappointing eighth place this season, meaning no European football at the San Siro next season, and that has left many fans feeling outraged and grown disillusioned at the way the club is being run.
When Mancini was appointed in early November, there was a sense of optimism around the place after the ill-fated Walter Mazzarri era. Finally, someone that was associated with the club, someone that knew what it meant to win trophies with the Nerazzurri.
Many were convinced that Mancini was the man to return the club to their past glories and stop the Juventus dominance that had the rest of the league in a stranglehold. That dream however turned to a nightmare, with the results failing to improve over the course of the season, and leaving many supporters with doubts that ‘Mancio’ is the right man to take the club forward.
Inter fans have also started to turn on Thohir, as many feel that the Indonesian owner has made too many false promises. His pledge of returning the club back to the pinnacle of Italian and European football has so far failed to materialize, and there were reports that he would stop investing in the Italian giants to focus on his other sporting ventures that he owns.
The Kondogbia acquisition has bought Mancini and Thohir some time. This was the signing that the Nerazzurri fans have been craving; a real marquee signing that puts them back on the map and puts the other clubs in Italy and in Europe on notice.
A statement of intent.
The significance of the transfer goes beyond the economic specifics of the deal. The fact that they shoved aside cross-town rivals AC Milan, after the Rossoneri seemingly had a deal sewn up for the player demonstrated the new found ruthlessness and clout that the Nerazzurri will exemplify this summer.
While some may deem the €40 million fee as excessive for such a young player, anyone that saw the powerful general dominate Arsenal’s celebrated and vaunted midfield at the Emirates in their Champions League tie in February understands that this will likely prove a snip in ten years’ time.
Kondogbia is the modern-day enforcer, providing industry and aggression in the midfield, and his quick distribution allows his team to set off on rapid counter-attacks. His athletic and robust frame allows him at times to single-handedly dominate opposition midfields, and his top-level experience in various leagues and nations for someone so young means he won’t be overawed by the transition to the Serie A.
After Inter and Mancini’s much publicised courting and perceived failure of attaining Manchester City star Yaya Toure, the club deserve credit for going out and attaining, hypothetically, a younger, hungrier version of the player. A signing that is likely to pay-off in the long-term and in hindsight will prove one of the club’s more astute purchases; a phrase that doesn’t get said too often around these parts in recent times.
Kondogbia is likely to be followed by Atletico Madrid and Brazilian international defender Miranda, and Marseille’s highly-coveted box-to-box midfielder Giannelli Imbula in the coming days. The Inter tifosi have asked for action not words, and Thohir has responded emphatically.
It is important now that Inter do not sacrifice Mateo Kovacic to make way for Kondogbia, or that will leave Thohir were he started. Mancini has the ingredients now, and the time for excuses is over. The fans will be hoping that the Kondogbia signing ushers in a new era of greatness and success that the club so richly deserves.
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