Inter Milan President Steven Zhang has made signing younger players with greater room to grow the priority this summer.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews.
This summer transfer window has certainly seen one notable trend within Inter’s signings – towards youth.
Whilst there have been notable exceptions such as the acquisition of veteran former Juventus wingback Juan Cuadrado on a one-year deal, the other signings have all dragged the average age of the Nerazzurri’s squad down by a significant degree.
New arrivals like Davide Frattesi, Yann Bisseck, and Marcus Thuram all replace much older players.
If in the prior few windows, the Nerazzurri have put more focus on more experienced players on the market such as Arturo Vidal, Edin Dzeko, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, now they are making a conscious effort to counterbalance that.
Last season, the average age of Inter’s squad was already pushing thirty. Now, things are starting to look quite different.
Inter President Steven Zhang Makes A Younger Squad The Agenda
There is now a hard core at Inter’s spine which, while gaining experience, is still very young.
Players like Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolo Barella, Lautaro Martinez, and Federico Dimarco are all in their mid-twenties.
Whilst there are still veterans like Mkhitaryan and Cuadrado augmenting the core, several older players have already headed for the exit door this summer. Marcelo Brozovic, Danilo D’Ambrosio, Samir Handanovic, and Dzeko have departed.
The age of the players who have replaced these stalwarts is no coincidence, the Gazzetta note.
Zhang has reportedly made a point of emphasizing youth in the club’s targets. He wants a team that can compete for the Serie A title next season, and also in seasons to come.
It is also for this reason that the Nerazzurri reportedly won’t go after Atletico Madrid’s Alvaro Morata.
Whilst the Spaniard is the player who coach Simone Inzaghi wants in the short term, Zhang and the club’s directors believe that he would not be a long-term solution.
Therefore, the Nerazzurri will look to sign a younger striker. This is one of the clearest signals yet that Inter’s focus is on youth and room to grow more than ever.