Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti is happy with the club’s recent transfer business, which includes the arrival of Davide Frattesi and Marcus Thuram. The Nerazzurri have been particularly active in recent days, securing Thuram on a free transfer over the weekend while announcing contract extensions for Alessandro Bastoni and Hakan Calhanoglu today.
Speaking at the Menarini Fair Play Award in Fiesole, Zanetti discussed the Nerazzurri’s transfer work to date and why he’s pleased to have players who were motivated to join Inter in the squad for next season:
“It’s an important moment. I believe that for a few years now Inter has been proving to be competitive, despite the sacrifices it has to make by selling a few important players. We are on the path of always building a team that can compete in all the competitions we can face.”
“I am happy with Bastoni’s renewal, because I believe we are talking about a player of the present but also of the future. As for the captain’s armband, there is him, there is Lautaro, other players who show this attachment and sense of belonging. We are happy that all these players are happy at Inter.”
“We are happy for the arrival of Frattesi, because he is a very important young man and he will certainly give us a big hand. First of all I wanted to thank Brozovic, D’Ambrosio, Gagliardini, Dzeko, Bellanova. All players who have done so much for us. Some have been with us for many years and you have to recognise what they have done for us. As far as the team we’re building is concerned, the aim is to acquire functional players, for our coach Inzaghi to have important players who can be up to the standard of a club like ours.”
“Ancelotti joining Brazil? These are personal choices. Ancelotti’s career speaks for itself. Being chosen for a national team like Brazil, made up of so many champions and so much history, is a source of pride for him’.
“Onana? When you have important players it’s normal that there are requests. Right now Onana is still our player, the training camp will start soon and we hope to keep all these players. The market has just started, that doesn’t mean that maybe something can change. I repeat: in all these years Inter have always shown themselves to be up to the mark by building important teams. I’m also happy with the arrival of Thuram, I spoke with his father and he too was very happy. Both he and Frattesi wanted to play for Inter and this is an important thing for our club.”
“The goal next year is to be competitive in all competitions. Inter have been very competitive for four years now: Spalletti started to lay the foundations, with Conte we won a championship and reached a Europa League final, with Inzaghi we won two Coppa Italias, two Super Cups and reached the Champions League final. This means that the team is capable of aspiring to important goals. We have to work, stay united in difficult moments.
“Keeping calm on the pitch? You have to keep your balance, I think it’s not easy because when we play there’s so much tension and the pulse is at a thousand, but character-wise I managed to stay calm. And that’s why I made my career”.
“Nico Gonzalez? He is a great player, he is doing very well at Fiorentina and is one of the strongest players in the team. Fiorentina is right to bet on him.”
