Midfielder Lazar Samardzic feels that the circumstances of his failed transfer to Inter Milan were “never about the money.”

Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport in this week’s SportWeek insert, via FCInterNews, the Serb also made clear that his father is his representative after some confusion had arisen during the summer transfer window.

Samardzic’s botched transfer to Inter was one of the soap operas of the entire summer.

Not just for the Nerazzurri, but within all of Serie A.

The 21-year-old former RB Leipzig midfielder had appeared to virtually already be an Inter player. The Nerazzurri had reached an agreement with his club Udinese, whilst the player had undergone medicals.

But then at the eleventh hour, problems arose between Inter and Samardzic’s entourage.

There is some debate about exactly what the issues were here.

What’s certain is that Samardzic’s representatives, led by his father who is also his agent, asked Inter for a last-minute meeting before the midfielder could sign his contract with the club.

And after this meeting, things fell apart.

Reports suggest that Samardzic’s entourage made new financial demands to Inter. These may well have been requests for new commissions, or for other additional payments.

But Inter believed they’d already agreed personal terms with Samardzic. They’d done so via the mediation of prominent agent Rafaela Pimenta.

Lazar Samardzic Says Failed Transfer To Inter “Never About The Money”

In the end, Inter flatly refused to renegotiate any demands with Samardzic’s entourage.

The Nerazzurri’s stance was that they had already found an agreement in the talks with Pimenta.

Therefore, the antics of the player’s representatives meant that Samardzic did not join Inter after all. Instead, the 21-year-old returned to Udinese, where he was reintegrated into the squad.

And Samardzic has been a regular fixture in the Friulani’s team at the start of the Serie A season.

As far as what exactly happened that caused his transfer to Inter to collapse, Samardzic said that “It was never about the money.”

He continued that “I know what happened. But it’s over now and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“I’m someone who thinks positively,” he continued.

“Udinese are a strong team, a well-run club, and if I stay another season that’s perfect for me.”

“I want to have a great season here,” Samardzic said. “And after that we’ll see what happens.”

As far as whether he had to seek clarification from his father regarding why his move to Inter fell through, Samardzic claimed that “I didn’t need to ask him anything. I already knew how things had gone.”

“I was and am calm,” the midfielder said.

He noted that after his move to Inter collapsed, “I returned to Udine. I immediately started training again.”

“I played in the second half against Juve in the league opener. And then by the following Sunday in Salerno I was already back in the starting eleven, where I also scored a goal.”

Samardzic also answered a question about whether he had spoken with Inter coach Simone Inzaghi.

“No,” he said. “Rather, when I got back to Udine, my coach Sottil told me, ‘I thought by now I’d only be seeing you on TV. Wearing an Inter shirt. But I’m happy you’re back here.'”

And Samardzic made perfectly clear who clubs should negotiate with to try and sign him after the bewildering transfer saga with Inter. “With my father,” he said.