Inter President Steven Zhang is set to return to Italy from China in the coming days in order to begin budgeting for next season and finalising a minority sale of the club.
As reported in today’s newspaper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Zhang will travel to Milan next week before entering a mandatory quarantine period of 14 days, with a view to being present should the Inter go on to win the Scudetto this season.
Zhang and Suning have further business to attend to, with the newspaper referring to a second phase in their ownership of the club. Firstly, the 31% LionRock share of Inter will be sold to an investor in order to generate funds, with Suning determined to retain a majority stake in the club.
There is also greater optimism surrounding the financial future of Inter in comparison to last year, and Zhang is set to meet coach Antonio Conte and CEO Beppe Marotta to discuss plans going forward, having been satisfied with their working partnership. Suning are set to confirm their intentions to remain at the helm and give further information on budgets for next season.
Whilst transfer targets, including Napoli’s Nikola Maksimovic and Luis Muriel of Atalanta, have been identified, the priority will be to extend the contracts of existing players.
An agreement has already been found with striker Lautaro Martinez, whilst centre-back Alessandro Bastoni is close to an extension and attention is being focused on a renewal for midfielder Nicolo Barella, who has been sounded out as a future captain.
