Inter lost Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi in the summer window. However, they were able to bounce back with a few strong additions. CEO Giuseppe Marotta showed some satisfaction with how they handled the difficulties. The Nerazzurri had to drastically reduce the costs and make a profit as demanded by their Chinese ownership. He also affirmed that Lautaro Martinez is on the brink of extending his contract.
The top Inter executive talked to Sky Sport: “We had to act really fast in the wake of the problems that arose. That is part of the game. If, on top of the squad that goes on the pitch, there is an equally strong team behind the scenes, every major issue becomes small. I have some very capable collaborators like sporting director Piero Ausilio and his right-hand man Dario Baccin and the rest of the front office.”
Inter had to improve the morale of the fans and inside the club: “We managed to recreate the right environment and make it more close-knit. It seemed on the brink of defeatism from those that were on the outside looking in.”
Marotta corroborated the buzz about Martinez putting pen-to-paper on his new contract soon: “We are in a good spot on that front, and the same goes for those of some of his teammates. I can say that we do not foresee any major issues from that standpoint.” Besides El Toro‘s one, Inter are looking to renew the deals of Marcelo Brozovic and Stefan De Vrij, which are up in 2022, Nicolò Barella and Alessandro Bastoni.