Inter Milan have confirmed the departure of club captain Samir Handanovic.
The Nerazzurri made a statement on their official site that the 38-year-old will not be extending his contract and has left the club after eleven seasons.
Handanovic joined Inter from Udinese in the summer of 2012.
Having already built up a strong reputation for himself in Serie A across his six seasons with the Friulani, the Slovenian arrived as the long-term successor for Julio Cesar between the posts.
As it turns out, Handanovic would indeed inherit the mantle from Cesar, staying first-choice keeper for a decade.
The 38-year-old has a lasting legacy with the Nerazzurri.
Across his eleven seasons in an Inter shirt, Handanovic made a total of 455 appearances for the club.
In February of 2019, Handanovic became Inter’s club captain. The veteran goalkeeper took the armband from striker Mauro Icardi.
Handanovic has been Inter’s club captain ever since then, and departs having held the role until the end of his time at the club.
Inter Milan Say Goodbye To Samir Handanovic After 11 Years & 5 Trophies
Apart from the duration of his stay at Inter, Handanovic can also point to several trophies as part of his legacy at the club.
All of the titles came towards the end of his spell at the Nerazzurri. For the first several seasons that Handanovic was at Inter, the club were enduring a difficult period, with no trophies and several disappointing midtable finishes.
However, towards the end of his eleven-year Inter career, things took a more positive turn for the club.
In the 2019-20 season, Inter reached the Europa League final.
Then, in the following campaign, the Nerazzurri won the Serie A title. This was followed by Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana wins in each of the next two seasons, his final two at the club.
In Handanovic’s final season, Andre Onana was largely the first-choice keeper ahead of the Slovenian. Handanovic helped the Cameroonian settle in, although it looks unlikely that Onana will stick around as his heir given that he looks on the verge of joining Manchester United.
However, Handanovic did captain Inter in the Coppa Italia final against Fiorentina in his final match for Inter. The Nerazzurri won the match 2-1 to lift the trophy, Handanovic’s last at the club.
At the end of last month, Handanovic’s contract with Inter expired.
The club have confirmed that he will not be signing a new deal. The 38-year-old will depart eleven years after beginning his Inter journey.
It is not yet clear what Handanovic’s next move will be. The veteran keeper could choose to join another club on a free transfer.
Alternatively, Handanovic could choose to hang up his boots, potentially pursuing a different role in football or taking a break.
