It seems an awfully long time ago since Inter lifted the Scudetto in late May as so much as happened at Inter HQ since, so where to where to start is the real question.
Antonio Conte removed the ‘pazza Inter amala’ anthem from the match day experience at San Siro as he said the club needed to lose its crazy tag. That crazy free spell lasted just two years.
Whilst Conte’s spell wasn’t without parts of madness, it was very successful for Inter but with him and others now departing following the Scudetto win, what does the future hold for the Nerazzuri?
Let us unpick what we have learned from Inter so far this summer.
1) A Change Of Manager Begins Another New Era
A change in manager is something that often occurs at Inter but not often on the back of a Scudetto win without any real warning or explanation.
Less than a week from Inter lifting the Serie A title, Antonio Conte packed his bags after Suning allegedly told the Lecce man that he would be losing his best players to pay back the clubs debtors.
Being the serial winner and self preservationist that Conte is, off he went and he has since been replaced by long serving Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi.
Younger brother of Pippo, Inzaghi arrives with a solid reputation after five years of continuous improvement with the Rome based outfit. He also plays a three at the back formation which fits nicely with the current crop of players at his disposal.
The former Piacenza striker is a fairly popular appointment and seems to have made a good impression on the playing squad. However, it remains to be seen how well he will be backed by the club’s frivolous owners.
2) Suning Have Made Inter A Laughing Stock
The global pandemic has had an effect on all football clubs, unless FFP doesn’t apply to you such as in the cases of PSG and Manchester City, so when Inter’s owners explained the books needed balancing, few were surprised.
Many however, became annoyed as one big player must be sold to fund this according to ownership which saw perhaps Inter’s most promising talent Achraf Hakimi leave to join PSG.
‘Well at least that was it’ thought the Inter faithful. They were wrong.
Off popped talisman Romelu Lukaku back to Chelsea and at the time of writing it could be a possibility that Lautaro Martinez leaves through the exit door too.
Win a Scudetto to then have a fire sale of the key people behind the success has simply been Suning’s motto this summer.
Rival clubs have relished and poked fun but the real concern is after ten years being starved of success prior to the title win, are we entering another period of stagnation?
3) Lele Oriali Leaving The Club Is A Blow
Amongst the chaos, it is easy to forget the departure of Inter legend Gabriele Oriali.
A key component of Antonio Conte’s back room team and also a key factor in Italy’s European Championship win this summer too, Oriali’s link between management and players will be sorely missed.
A highly respected figure within Italy and the game at top level, the man who represented Inter nearly 300 times as a player was also very vocal in blaming the club’s ownership for his departure.
Another one on you Suning.
4) Hakan Calhanoglu Has Defected To The Right Side Of Milano
After five years at Milanello, Turkish playermaker Hakan Calhanoglu has made his way over to Appiano Gentile.
In a controversial free transfer, Calhanoglu has stated that he is at Inter now to win titles, something he couldn’t manage at Milan.
Barbing and jesting aside, it will be very interesting to see how he adapts and how he will be used by Simone Inzaghi.
Following Christian Eriksen’s ill health, it was important that Inter moved quick and wisely replaced the Dane at short notice with a player that has Serie A experience and was also a bargain transfer.
Comparisons are being made between Calhanoglu and Luis Alberto which have also been echoed by the new manager which bodes well going forward.
In a summer of bad business, this deal could turn out to be a good one.
5) Among The Doom & Gloom There Is Still The Bones Of A Side That Won Serie A Last Season
Sure the league’s best striker and arguably the best wing back in football have left the club but the rest of the squad remains that lifted the Scudetto just three months ago.
The defence of Milan Skriniar, Stefan De Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni remains in tact as does the midfield of Nicola Barella and Marcelo Brozovic.
Denzel Dumfries, who had a strong European Championship, is poised to replace Hakimi which on paper seems a good replacement, whilst Federico DiMarco has returned from Hellas Verona looking in scintillating form.
Lautaro Martinez also remains for now and is eagerly awaiting a new partner at the top end of the pitch which could be an exciting development.
Despite Suning ripping parts of the side up to cover their poor financial management, it is easy to forget the talent that remains in the squad which is under the disposal of a good coach.
The top four should be well within reach, if not another stab at the title.
