Inter goalkeeper Andrei Radu’s costly error in yesterday evening’s 2-1 loss to Bologna could be the culmination of his increasingly unsettled situation at the Nerazzurri.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, who suggest that the club’s failure to find a new home for the 24-year-old in January could be at the root of his horror-show performance.
Radu has been the backup goalkeeper to Samir Handanovic this season, but it has been clear that he hasn’t had a future at the club as he had previously played just once for the club all season, an unconvincing display against Empoli in the Coppa Italia.
If this hadn’t made it clear that the Romanian is not trusted by the Nerazzurri, the long-term pursuit of Andre Onana to be Handanovic’s long-term successor will have been a further indicator.
Inter had contemplated the idea of sending Radu out on loan or on a permanent sale and signing a new backup to Handanovic last summer, but in the end no move came and he remained at the club.
The Romanian was never selected to start for the team even as captain Handanovic came under fire for some costly errors, and he was linked with a move to a new club during the January transfer window.
A move could well have been beneficial for the 24-year-old who could have found regular playing time elsewhere, but as with in the summer he remained at the Nerazzurri.
With Onana’s arrival imminent and Handanovic potentially extending his contract for another season, a summer exit for Radu has looked virtually inevitable.
Up until hours before yesterday’s match against Bologna it looked as though the 24-year-old would leave Inter without playing another match, but he was called into action after Handanovic was ruled out through a lower back problem.
The ninety minutes could not have gone much worse for Radu, who had little to do but was disastrous when involved, but the situation is one that has been quietly simmering for much longer than ninety minutes.
