Some time has passed into this summer’s mercato, and Italy’s top five clubs are preparing for a season were anything less than qualification for the Champions League would be considered a failure. Milan, Inter, Napoli, Roma and Juventus have clear goals ahead of them, all making their own movements to ensure that they are well prepared come the start of the Serie A season.
Each day we will look at each club and assess their mercato thus far. Yesterday we began with the current Scudetto holders, Milan, but today it is the turn of their rivals Inter.
Inter
The Nerazzurri finished second last season, and were crowned Coppa Italia champions, yet it was by no means satisfying for the club who were crowned in Dubai as Club World Champions in December, a humiliating loss in the Champions League quarter finals to German side Schalke didn’t make their season any better.
But with a new coach in former Genoa man Gian Piero Gasperini, following the departure of Leonardo to Paris Saint German, Inter are working to build a squad capable of living up to the expectations which the success of recent years demands, and which at the same time will suit their coach’s tactical approach, something that is very different to that which preceded him at the club.
Current team and addressing problems
Inter are still showing great faith in the majority of their current squad which was behind their recent successes. Last season though, alarm bells started to ring as the aging squad started to become a serious concern. A number of acquisitions were made in the winter mercato, Italian international defender Andrea Ranocchia, Italian international centre forward Giampaolo Pazzini, and Japanese international left back Yuto Nagatomo, all joined the club. With players like Davide Santon under contract, Inter were obviously starting to think long term.
Goalkeeping: Julio Cesar didn’t have the best of seasons, and he didn’t live up to what his 2010 standards. An interesting incident caused by a terrible mistake by Bologna director Stefano Pedrelli, lead to Inter’s permanent signature of a player who is widely regarded as Gianluigi Buffon’s heir in the Italian national team.
Many see in Emiliano Viviano a worthy starter for a club like Inter, but to the misfortune of the club, but not necessarily of the Brazilian, Viviano tore his anterior cruciate ligaments in training, an injury which will guarantee Julio Cesar starts as number one at Inter
Defence: Inter showed a number of defensive frailties last season; they conceded an astonishing amount of goals in all competitions – 70. While a good percentage of the Inter faithful plavced most of the blame on the false concepts adopted by Rafa Benitez and Leonardo.
Lucio and Samuel are proven top class defenders, but with both approaching their mid 30s, and with the latter just back from a long term injury, Inter rest on their laurels, as the young Ranocchia is not yet capable of holding a defence together on his own.
In the full back department, Maicon didn’t have the best season last term, especially when it comes to the defensive side of his game. Still, faith will certainly be kept in the Brazilian, while on the other side, club is likely to settle with Nagatomo and Cristian Chivu, with Javier Zanetti capable of covering any of both sides when needed.
Midfield: An area which needs to be seriously taken into consideration by the club management, players like Zanetti, Dejan Stankovic and Esteban Cambiasso are all well into their 30s, the aging midfield is showing a serious lack of energy. Thiago Motta is not the most energetic of midfielders as well, but he gets along very well with the new coach.
In case the 3-4-3 which is expected to be the formation played under Gasperini, Nagatomo and Maicon’s attributes perfectly suit whats needed on the wings, Inter dont have players to fill these positions with the same quality those two could offer Despite that, captain Javier Zanetti would have no problem filling on either side of midfield. While Chivu in such a system would only suit playing in defense, A back up option is needed at least in one of either sides.
Attack: Star man Samuel Eto’o remains the club’s biggest asset, a lot is expected from Pazzini as well, the Italian poacher had a very impressive start to his Inter career.
The 2010 Champions League player of the year Diego Milito should have been delighted by the news that Gasperini was chosen as new coach, as it was under him in Genoa were the Argentine first attracted Inter’s eyes. The coach is expected to play a big role in the form return of Milito. Another concern come from the fact that Gasperini has always favored a three man attack with the two wing forwards playing an essential role, as he never favored playing with a number ten, which will and has raised questions about Wesley Sneijder’s future.
Conclusion
Problem 1: At least one quality centre-back needed.
Problem 2: One back up needed for either Maicon or Nagatomo.
Problem 3: A quality midfield addition needed.
Problem 4: Quality forward wings needed.
Problem 5: Wesley Sneijder.
Mercato solutions acquired by the club and writer’s assessment
Solution problem 1: No signing made, and no names seriously linked yet. This is a problem that Inter cannot neglect while moving into next season, quality centre-backs are rare these days, but even so this issue needs to be sorted out by the Nerazzurri.
Solution Problem 2: Brazilian right back Jonathan was signed from Santos.
Time and on field performances will be the judge of the Brazilian, he’ll have time to develop in the Maicon backup role he has, and who knows, the 25 year-old might become a worthy first choice for Inter in the future.
Solution problem 3: No signing made, and no names seriously linked yet.
Solution problem 4: Argentine talent Ricky Alvarez was signed. The 23 year-old has the potential to succeed at Inter, only time will offer a fair judgment. Inter are being seriously linked as well with Genoa’s Rodrigo Palacio, who would be a quality addition for Inter, and possibly an upgrade on Goran Pandev.
Ricky Alvarez and if the Palacio deal materialises are surely the type of players Inter need under Gasperini, but it needs to be taken into consideration that both players are as yet unproven at the highest level.
Solution problem 5: Sneijder has been heavily linked to Manchester United as Paul Scholes’ replacement, but Inter don’t seem to be keen to sell. Though a deal has been mooted, Gasperini has indicated the Dutchman can play in other positions.
If Gasperini managed to find a way to use Sneider in a way which would suit his approach then this might be the best scenario for Inter, while if a transfer took place, a big name which suits more Gasperini’s ideas could be brought in, and if the Carlos Tevez links are true, then he’d be a perfect fit.
Overall Assessment: Inter look like they are at the end of their cycle, and a number of shortcomings are evident in the squad which are yet to be addressed as it seems, whether they’ll manage to successfully build for a new era is a question which only time will answer.
The club policy of trust in the old guard and having a slow approach to the rebuilding process might be right, as a squad revolution is by no means what any team needs, but the slow rebuilding process could see the squad collapse as well, signs of such a scenario were provided last season, and with the third coach at the helm since Mourinho’s spell of success, stability is not what is characterizing this team by any account.
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