Inter legend Beppe Bergomi admits he is worried about rumours that Suning are planning to sell the club.
Speculation has been intense in recent weeks about the Nerazzurri’s long-term future, with Suning known to be battling financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and fresh restrictions from the Chinese government.
British private equity fund BC Partners are reportedly in talks with the Chinese retail giants and have been granted an exclusive right to carry out due diligence on Inter’s accounts, but there is also thought to be interest in Inter from other funds such as Ares, EQT, Arctos Sports Partners and Temasek.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Bergomi, who spent his whole career with Inter, shared his concerns: “I would be worried as a fan because from the outside even I don’t understand what is going on.
“Internally, I know what they are going through, we see a solid, growing club.
“I would trust in this moment, thinking as a fan, that the team is one that can go up against everyone.
“This is what unites the various winning Inter teams over the years.
“This is the time to be close to the team and the club, forming a single body.”
The 1982 World Cup winner also expressed his views on head coach Antonio Conte, urging the former Juventus boss to immerse himself in Inter’s proud history.
“Antonio got an important victory against Juventus last weekend, now is the time for him to understand what Inter’s DNA is all about, which is no better or worse than the other teams.
“This is what fans want to hear because they know Inter are different from the others, now we need to cultivate the sense of belonging and I’m sure Antonio can do this.”
Asked whether Inter would have had a failed season if they didn’t win the Scudetto, Bergomi said: “We’ll have to talk to each other about that at the end of the season.
“To date, Conte has not done well in Europe at Inter but in the league he is performing in line with what this team can do.
“The question about whether it would be a bad season is one that many have asked me and I have already expressed myself on this matter.
“In Europe, Inter had to get past the group stage but there were combinations that led to their elimination.
“This team has to fight for the Scudetto, but then maybe they can score 90 points and still not win it.
“If that were the case, I wouldn’t talk about it as being a failure there.
“I think that AC Milan, Napoli, Juventus and Inter all have similar squad depth.”