Inter have found themselves in a turbulent period over the past week or so, with a combination of factors around the closing of the transfer window and the beginning of the Serie A squeezing the team into a tight spot.

This according to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper La Repubblica, who label these as “crazy days” for the Nerazzurri as they deal with unexpected setbacks including confusion around the anticipated arrival of Francesco Acerbi, the injury to Romelu Lukaku, all amid increasing pressure on Romelu Lukaku.

Inter will have expected to get the signing of Acerbi on loan wrapped up by now, but a late intervention by President Steven Zhang has meant that it now looks like they may not sign the 34-year-old after all as the extreme spending restrictions at the club come into clear focus.

Meanwhile, a muscle injury to Lukaku means that the Belgian will miss several matches just as he was hoping to round into form, depriving the team of one of their main attacking weapons and a player who had been meant to be the focal point.

Both of these unexpected situations come at a time when coach Simone Inzaghi’s suitability has come into question in a way that it rarely has in the past, as the former Lazio coach saw his team fall to a 3-1 defeat away to his old side.

The loss to the Biancocelesti was the most dramatic illustration of how far Inzaghi’s team has to go if they’re to fight for the Serie A title, which is the expectation, but the cracks had been appearing all the way back in preseason.

Now, the coach must silence his doubters amid a difficult period which sees massive fixtures against AC Milan and Bayern Munich in quick succession, and he must do so without his main man in attack and also without an expected defensive reinforcement in the form of Acerbi.

Things may settle down as the season wears on, but for now Inter seem to be dealing with one minor crisis after another and they are starting to pile up.