Italian politician and longtime Inter supporter Carlo Cottarelli has sung the praises of head coach Luciano Spalletti and encouraged the Nerazzurri to sign a high-profile midfielder this summer.

Inter secured their return to the UEFA Champions League after a six-year absence during Spalletti’s first season in charge, and Cottarelli, who briefly acted as Italy’s interim prime minister during the country’s political crisis in May, believes that he represents the club’s most reliable figure going forward.

“I definitely have more faith in Spalletti than in the club’s owners,” he said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday. “He’s a well-prepared and intelligent coach; had he come to Inter a couple of seasons ago we would already have won something by now.

“I absolutely respect the work Zhang [Jindong] is doing, but I’m not a big fan of overseas owners in general.

“I know it’s a romantic and perhaps anachronistic vision I have, but after having had Moratti for all those years I’d like a club where all the shareholders are Interisti. I’d be the first person to put myself forward.

“You don’t become an Interista just by purchasing Inter, it’s not automatic.”

Asked about the upcoming summer transfer window, Cottarelli said that it is in midfield where he thinks Inter will need to make the biggest upgrade if they are to compete for the Scudetto, before offering his thoughts on the future of captain Mauro Icardi.

“Inter need a great midfield. With all due respect, if you sign Borja Valero and Vecino from Fiorentina then you can’t expect to compete for the Scudetto. With someone like Kevin Strootman, perhaps you can…

“Icardi? I’m not particularly fond of him but I think he needs to say. For sure he should never be sold to Juventus.”