Inter CEO Beppe Marotta feels that defender Milan Skriniar can have a big future with the Nerazzurri if he wants to.

Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia ahead of the team’s Champions League clash with Barcelona this evening, the CEO hailed the 27-year-old as deserving the captaincy, and stated that the club are ready to hand him a new deal.

As he was last week, Skriniar captains the Nerazzurri against Barcelona this evening.

In the absence of regular captain Samir Handanovic, the Slovakian is ready to show his credentials with the armband.

Skriniar is a player who has been tipped by many fans to inherit the armband permanently when Handanovic leaves.

However, at the moment it is not certain how much longer the 27-year-old will be at the club given that his current contract expires at the end of the season.

For his part, however, Marotta feels that should Skriniar be amenable to agreeing an extension, it will be done.

“Skriniar is an exemplary professional and an excellent player,” the CEO said, “he deserves to be captain.”

“If his will is the same as ours, there is a good possibility that an agreement will be reached,” he said of a possible contract extension for Skriniar.

“On our part there is the will to get negotiations done so that we can agree a new contract.”

Of this evening’s clash with Barcelona, Marotta said that “For them tonight’s result is perhaps even more vital than it is for us, but we have to keep things balanced so that we can take home a good result.”

Asked if he feels that the financial strategy of the Blaugranas to sell revenue streams in order to sign players would be replicable in Italian football, Marotta replied that “Today we need to look to the model of sustainability as a point of reference.”

He continued that “The Laporta presidency marked a difficult moment in the financial history of this club, if you have to sell assets, then there are fewer resources in the medium term, it can have negative effects.”

“I cannot go further in the analysis,” the CEO continued, “if the directors decided to do this it’s because the difficulties were significant.”

Of the significance of this evening’s match, Marotta said that “We have momentum that comes from the positive result of the reverse fixture, we would gladly accept a draw, whereas we come up against an opponent who are playing for full stakes.”

“It’s up to us to be protagonists and not supporting players,” he added.

“We prepared for the match very well, the players are motivated.”

And when asked about the contrasting fortunes of Napoli and Juventus in Italy, Marotta said that “When we look at Italian football, we are certainly suffering.”

“From an economic and financial point of view we are not as competitive as other leagues, today Napoli have shown a winning model of a far-sighted club with capable directors, this enthusiasm and these results are welcome.”

“If they’re successful it can only be a great advertisement for Italian football.”