Samir Handanovic cannot be certain of remaining Inter’s first-choice goalkeeper in his current form, a report in the Italian media argued today.
Gazzetta dello Sport’s print edition said Inter’s captain was in a strange situation, with his performances deteriorating just as he is about to win the first major trophy of his career.
Handanovic is about to end his nine-year drought at Inter since joining the club in 2012, and yet he could have cost the Nerazzurri a third goal in as many games yesterday when Hellas Verona had a late equaliser controversially disallowed for a foul.
“He didn’t concede in the end but he doesn’t seem like himself at the moment,” the Milan-based paper rued.
Handanovic will become Inter’s all-time leading appearance maker in terms of goalkeepers before the end of this season, with the Slovenian only three behind Walter Zenga after yesterday’s 1-0 win (Handanovic is on 325).
His future remains uncertain though, with Inter knowing full well that they need to find a replacement for the 36-year-old before too long.
Handanovic scored a bizarre own goal at Napoli last weekend after a collision with Stefan de Vrij, before allowing an innocuous effort from Spezia’s Diego Farias to squirm past him during Inter’s 1-1 draw last Wednesday.
Hellas Verona goalkeeper Marco Silvestri is one of the candidates to replace him at Inter, and the report argued that the 30-year-old justified his inclusion on the list with his display at San Siro.
