Inter Milan’s Turkish midfielder, Hakan Calhanoglu, recently spoke to Sky Sport (via Calciomercato) ahead of the new season, addressing transfer rumors and his aspirations with the club. “Those who know me understand how I am; I always stay silent and don’t talk much. I like to work and improve. I can say that in these three years, I’ve been fortunate to find incredible teammates and fans. I’ve grown thanks to them. I never thought about leaving. I’ve always been sure of staying at Inter, even when rumors surfaced. I chose to focus on my work and only spoke up at the end to calm everyone down.”
The Weight of the Scudetto
“We know it was great, but this year other teams are more motivated to beat us. It will be more important to confirm what we’ve done. We’re working hard, even though it’s very hot, but we’re ready for Genoa.”
Working Hard
“I always believe in what I do, certainly with the help of the technical staff, without whom I wouldn’t be the player I am, and with my teammates. They understand me, and I understand them, so it will always be easier to play. We must always have the same desire to win and the same determination; this is important.”
Reaffirming Success
“I hope so, but in football, you never know. I’ve never thought about scoring more goals because I play deeper, as a playmaker. Then opportunities come, and if we win, I’m more relaxed and score more goals.”
Challenges in the League
“Everyone has strengthened a lot, you can see it. Our secret is determination and the desire to win. As I said before, other teams want to beat us, but we remain ourselves. It will be more difficult to confirm what we’ve done.”
Mistakes to Avoid
“We must not give up; we can’t lose the motivation we’ve had. We need to do even more. I agree with the coach; reaffirming success will be more difficult, but we have new players who are very strong, and over time we’ll see.”
Taremi
“He plays for the team, runs, works, and defends. That’s what we need, strong in front of the goal and very calm and positive.”
Lautaro for the Ballon d’Or
“I hope so; he deserved the renewal with Inter. He’s our captain, knows how to manage his teammates, and always does something different. Then he scores, which is important. I hope he achieves it.”
