Legendary former Nerazzurri captain Beppe Bergomi believes that striker Marko Arnautovic has performed below expectations at Inter Milan.

Speaking on Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, via FCInterNews, Bergomi also highlighted the difficult upcoming fixture list for his former team.

When Arnautovic arrived at Inter last summer, he was not the highest-profile signing.

On the contrary. There was a sense that the Nerazzurri were making more of a pragmatic move by signing the 34-year-old.

After Inter’s relationship with Romelu Lukaku imploded, there were links to numerous other strikers.

These included Folarin Balogun, Alvaro Morata, and Mehdi Taremi.

But in the end, Inter took a different approach.

The Nerazzurri signed Arnautovic from Bologna. The Austrian came in for a lower fee than any of the above-mentioned would have.

And the veteran former West Ham United and Stoke City striker had put in convincing performances in Emilia-Romagna during the two prior seasons.

Fitness concerns were an issue. But in terms of Arnautovic’s style of play, the experienced striker seemed to have the tools to be the physical reference point leading the line that Inter wanted.

And moreover, Arnautovic’s goal return for the Rossoblu was hardly anything to sneeze at.

Bergomi: Marko Arnautovic Not Up To Expectations At Inter

But Arnautovic’s form for Inter has not been equal to his best performances for Bologna.

Bergomi noted that “Lautaro is having an extroardinary season.”

“Then Thuram is playing very well for the team.”

“But it’s difficult for the other strikers to play in certain ways,” the former Inter captain said.

“Arnautovic, I certainly expected something more from,” Bergomi said.

He argued that “He’s playing like a ninety-year-old, he’s been out for two months.”

“And now Inter have a difficult fixture list ahead,” Bergomi warned.

“There’s going to have to be the game in hand against Atalanta to make up. That will have to get stuck in the middle of the week somewhere.”

“They travel away to Fiorentina. Then there’s Juve, and then it’s the Champions League.”

“That’s why Inter must have all their players ready at that moment,” Bergomi said.

“In midfield they have the quality to rotate good players in,” he argued. “But in attack, the team changes when the regular starters aren’t playing.”