Former Inter Director Marco Branca believes that it would have been all but impossible for Inter to turn down the massive offer that they received for Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea last summer.
Speaking to Rome-based newspaper La Repubblica, Branca gave the view that in the current financial climate, Serie A’s top clubs are not in a position to hold onto their big names in the face of truly blockbuster offers.
Inter had not necessarily planned to let go of Lukaku during the summer, but Chelsea pushed for him and eventually went as high as €115 million with their offer.
In the end, the Nerazzurri felt that they were not in position to refuse a transfer fee of this size given the need to meet financial targets, while the player ultimately accepted the Champions League holders’ offer.
The move was a controversial one given that the Belgian had become a key player on the way to a Scudetto at Inter, but Branca feels that given the offer that was on the table it was all but inevitable that a club in Inter’s position would have accepted.
“Today in Serie A, in the face of very significant financial offers, all players are sellable,” he said. “This is true of Inter as it is for the other clubs.”
“If you happen to be able to bring in €115 million for Lukaku, you have to sell him quickly,” he argued. “The important thing is having the power to reinvest a substantial portion of the amount brought in.”
“At Inter last summer that didn’t happen, but the situation could improve over time,” Branca added.
Of the team’s approach in the transfer market, he said that “I gladly leave the task to Beppe Marotta and to my friend Piero Ausilio.”
“They’re good and know what needs to be done, even if today it’s not easy,” he continued. “With the introduction of Financial fair play, football has changed.”
“Sporting directors have become the central figures at clubs,” he went on, “especially in Italy and Spain. They have to meet certain financial objectives.”
“They are fundamental not only for the transfer market but also in day-to-day management,” he suggested. “You can no longer go crazy spending even if you have the money available.”
On the team’s quality after last summer transfer window, Branca argued that “They didn’t lose much. This year they’ve played very well, they were superior to every opponent for a long time.”
“After that they dropped off a bit,” he continued. “But they’ve proved that they’re not in themselves weaker than last season. Credit goes to everyone, the club, the coach, the players.”
As far as the team’s ambitions, Branca said that “Based on history and tradition, Inter must always be in the title race and try to win it, especially if they’ve won the season prior.”
“And this year too they have the chance to do it, even if they struggled with the defeat in the derby,” he added. “We’ll see if the victory at the Allianz Stadium is enough to get them back on track.”
