Inter Confirm Piero Ausilio Exit After 28 Years, Dario Baccin Promoted

Inter have officially confirmed that Piero Ausilio has left the club after a 28-year association, with the Nerazzurri immediately naming his long-serving deputy Dario Baccin as chief sports officer.

The announcement, posted on the club’s official website, closes a remarkable chapter that began when Ausilio joined Inter as a secretary in the youth department in the late 1990s before rising to first-team sporting director by 2014.

The exit lands the day after the close of the 2026 summer transfer window, a session that saw the Nerazzurri recruit three England internationals in John Stones, Djed Spence and Curtis Jones, alongside the repurchase of Aleksander Stankovic from Club Brugge.

Ausilio was in the final year of his contract. Ownership group Oaktree had reportedly offered only a one-year extension through 2028, a proposal Ausilio considered insufficient, leading the two sides to part ways by mutual agreement rather than let the deal run its course.

Fabrizio Romano broke the news of the separation on his social channels before Inter’s official statement confirmed it, with Marotta framing the succession as one built on continuity rather than upheaval.

Piero Ausilio’s 28-Year Inter Legacy

During his time at the club, Inter won Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana three times each, while reaching two Champions League finals and one Europa League final.

In his farewell message, Ausilio described the emotional weight of the moment: “After 28 unforgettable years, the most difficult moment has arrived: saying goodbye to what has never been just a team to me, but a second skin.”

He added that the departure marked more than a professional milestone: “I am leaving this role, but I will never be able to separate myself from these colours. Today does not simply mark the end of a professional chapter: it means leaving behind a piece of my soul at the place I have loved most.”

Premier League clubs are already reported to be showing interest in Ausilio as he considers his next move.

Why Dario Baccin Was Chosen As Ausilio’s Successor

Marotta was quick to endorse his new chief sports officer, praising Baccin’s deep knowledge of the club’s structures: “Dario knows the club well and is now ready to take on this new role that the ownership and I have designed for him. It is an innovative choice, albeit in the name of managerial continuity.”

Baccin’s own background runs deep in Italian football. A former professional defender, he came through Juventus’ academy before playing for Napoli, Cesena, Chievo Verona and several other clubs, retiring in 2010 to qualify as a sporting director at Coverciano.

He went on to work at Siena and Palermo before joining Inter in 2017 as Ausilio’s deputy, and has since worked closely on building Inter’s Under-23 project in connection with the first team, a pathway central to the club’s stated aim of progressive, sustainable development.

That project is one piece of a wider summer of squad restructuring at Inter, including the moves detailed in FootItalia’s coverage of the club’s squad depth reshuffle.

Lautaro Martinez Explains His Barcelona Decision

Away from the boardroom reshuffle, Inter’s captain Lautaro Martinez has been discussing his own summer of speculation.

Martinez confirmed to Sky Italia that interest from Barcelona was genuine but explained he chose to remain with his teammates and the San Siro faithful, context that builds on Inter’s determination to keep hold of their captain throughout the window.

What Happens Next For Inter’s New Sporting Structure

Baccin now takes up his newly defined role with immediate effect, tasked with maintaining the technical continuity Marotta has publicly championed.

How his expanded remit shapes Inter’s approach to the Under-23 pathway and future recruitment will become clearer as the season under Cristian Chivu progresses.