Former Inter midfielder Alessandro Bianchi feels that current Nerazzurri captain Samir Handanovic should be given a contract extension past the summer.
Speaking to Italian news outlet FCInter1908, Bianchi defended the 37-year-old from the charge that he is out of form and underlined the continued value that he can have to the team.
Handanovic sees his current deal expire at the end of June, and with his long-term successor Andre Onana set to arrive in the summer there is doubt about his future at the club past then.
However, the club have reportedly been in talks, and appear to believe that even with the captain aging and having made some high-profile errors in recent weeks, he still has a place.
Bianchi feels that this is definitely the case, and does not feel that the errors that the 37-year-old has made over the season are a major problem, stating that “All players make mistakes.”
“Handanovic is a great goalkeeper, one of the best in Serie A,” he added. “He has the experience to be able to hold his own against Onana. Not to mention that Handanovic has bailed Inter out in many matches.”
On the patch of bad form currently being experienced by Lautaro Martinez, he said that “The goal he missed surprised me.”
“In my opinion he doesn’t play with a sense of freedom,” he said of the Argentine. “But Inzaghi trusts him – he stands by him because he sees that fire inside.”
And on the second leg of the Champions League tie against Liverpool, he said that “It’ll be difficult, but why not believe in it? I wouldn’t underestimate the Nerazzurri. They outplayed Liverpool in the first leg.”
