Inter are being closely linked with the signing of Udinese sensation Alexis Sanchez and if he arrives at the San Siro it will involve a balance of old and new transfer strategies for the Nerazzurri. While transfer windows are nothing new to Inter president Massimo Moratti this summer may be his most vital.
Before there was Roman Abramovich or Sheik Mansour, Moratti was breaking records for transfer fees in the pursuit of success. In fact he has spent more than €300, a figure surpassed only by the aforementioned Chelsea and Manchester City Presidents. However, like in life he soon found that money can’t buy happiness.
For more than ten years Inter bought in the world’s most celebrated players and yet enjoyed limited success. The Nerazzurri became a veritable revolving door for some of footballs biggest names, in 1997 Ronaldo arrived for a then world record fee of €29 million, just two years later Christian Vieri arrived for €48 million again a world record transfer at the time and in 2002 Hernan Crespo moved from Lazio for €20 million.
Other high profile arrivals in this time included Roberto Baggio, Laurent Blanc, Roberto Carlos, Youri Djourkaeff and Fabio Cannavaro. Despite the high profile signings it was a frustrating time for Interisti, as the team of stars struggled to become a star team.
While some like Vieri enjoyed individual success, claiming the Capocannoniere in 02/03, many through long injury lay offs and poor form failed to live up to the investment. Most frustrating of all to the supporters was that many of the players would go on to become superstars after leaving the club, including Carlos, Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf.
Ironically Inter’s recent Serie A success has come since Moratti has tightened the purse strings and handed much of the transfer market responsibility to technical director Marco Branca. While it would be misleading to suggest Inter are no longer prepared to actively invest in the market, gone are the days of world record transfers, buying players based on reputation and with scant regard for technical requirements.
Last year Inter completed a historic treble and a look at the make-up of the team demonstrates this new transfer strategy. Esteban Cambiasso arrived from Real Madrid on a free transfer and Goran Pandev switched from Lazio also with no money changing hands. While integral team members Dejan Stankovic, Lucio, Julio Cesar and Maicon where all signed for fees under €5 million.
Arguably Inter’s two most important players Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto’o also arrived with crafty market transactions. Sneijder was brought in to fill a specific role linking midfield with attack and signed for €15 million, half of what Real Madrid had paid for him just two years earlier. Eto’o may prove to be Inter’s most important signing of all, despite having to give up Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Eto’o arrived in Milan along with an estimated €46 million. In his first season the Cameroonian proved himself the ultimate team man playing in a variety of positions and then this year returning to his more familiar forward position and scoring at will.
Despite Inter climbing to the summit of club football, the squad now requires new investment and Sanchez appears to be at the top of the wish list. Further to this Moratti still seems haunted by missing out on the opportunity to sign Lionel Messi and one gets the feeling missing out on Sanchez would only add to those woes.
Not only does he have the potential to be a superstar, Sanchez posses many qualities lacking in the blue half of Milan. His pace and creativity are second to none, he is lethal on the counter attack and would allow Inter to play in a number of different formations. He would also provide much needed youth to an ageing and tiring squad.
Despite the fact that the signing of Sanchez would require Moratti to turn back time and reach deeply into his coffers, he would be doing so for all the right reasons.
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