Mercato Team (Ausilio, Marotta, & Co.) and Strategies

YoramG

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It's the right time to clean up the squad and switch to the back 4. But you know it's too much to ask from those who run this club.
Would it even cost them that much? Recalling Fabbian, Pirola, Males, Agoume, and giving Carboni and Zefi more permanent roles would already plug up a fair amount of those spots.

The big holes are Skriniar and Dzeko, but even then - Djalo, Milenkovic, Scamacca (loan), Bella-Kotchap, etc., theres options.

I don’t mention Lukaku because I know damn well he’s staying next year.
 

brehme1989

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If we had a proper ownership - well, we wouldn't be here roster wise - we'd have a proper plan in place.
But we don't.

We have a crippled management make the same mistakes over and over again.

If we had a sense of direction, then letting Inzaghi go at the end of the season and acquiring some proper targets would make sense.

I don't mind the 3-5-2 but not in the way our squad currently is. It's too inflexible since we cannot switch to much else at the moment and maintain it consistently.
In fact, I said many times that I like the 352 overall. It just needs to fit properly.

As of next summer, we will lose Skriniar. De Vrij is not ideal for the 4 back line and doesn't even have a guaranteed roster spot if Acerbi stays and is fit. So we should let him go.

That means we need to go center back shopping. One starter next to Bastoni and at least one decent backup. I mean, I wouldn't mind Luca Caldirola for that 4th CB spot to ve shared with some youth player since we have a restricted budget.

It's time we switch formations. I don't want us to change to 433 or 4231 because that means we need to go for 3 quality wing forwards. And they're expensive.

I'd rather switch to 4312, the 442 diamond variation. It feels like the easiest formation to switch to.


You get to keep Gosens and Dimarco as the guys who control the left flank.
Darmian as backup right back is fine, you just need to upgrade Dumfries to someone who can handle that attacking RB role. And if Cancelo is available, I wouldn't mind him. For the right cost.

New center back has to be fast. Obviously at least good defensively, but prioritizing speed there is a must.

Then you have the 3 players in front of the defense.
Not much needs to change. Hakan, Brozoivc and Barella are more than enough.
You'll need 1 backup who's a proper DM.
Asllani can stick around as the 6th choice.
Mkhitaryan since he's staying it seems, should become the backup AM as he cannot be trusted much as a wide MC in a 4 man defense setup.
Carboni to rotate his role between the 3rd AM backup spot or 5th FW spot. And provide width in case we want to switch to wingers.

And up front I said it before that Firmino needs to be our priority whilst we let Kukaku return to Chelsea and find a way to get rid of Correa.
If we can also get hold of Thuram whilst doing this, great, but it won't be easy and we'll have to settle for someone else. We could manage to get Raspadori via loan + obligation from Napoli seeing that he's not used as much.
I wouldn't be against Berardi even. Would allow us to switch to 433 at times as well.

Then we are left with the #10 hole. No need to spend big but spending smart is a must here. This is also a role that Firmino could fill at times if we bring another quality forward, but for depth reasons it's better to have a designated player here. It's not like Hakan cannot play here either.

Financially it's achievable provided that Suning doesn't say that they want the team disbanded. Selling Dumfries, Correa and perhaps Gosens (which I believe wouldn't be a good decision if we switch to 4312) would definitely allow us to rebuild the team without destroying the foundations.

But are we ready for something like this? Does Marotta want to restructure the team and perhaps make a crucial error in doing so, which would affect his legacy?
 

ADRossi

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Acerbi is useful as long as Inzaghi is at Inter. If we switch to a back 4 then Acerbi needs to go. Lotito let Acerbi join Inter on a free loan because he was useless to Sarri. He is a liability in a back 4.
Well, he sure was a liability yesterday. Redeeming him is just dumb, if we're being honest.
 

varmin

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But are we ready for something like this? Does Marotta want to restructure the team and perhaps make a crucial error in doing so, which would affect his legacy?
For me, Marotta thought that Inzaghi is that type manager, which could handle all of his cheap and free signings, without whining for money. He was partly right, but unfortunately Inzaghi is stuck to his system and he is unwilling to implement some young players.
 

YoramG

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If we had a proper ownership - well, we wouldn't be here roster wise - we'd have a proper plan in place.
But we don't.

We have a crippled management make the same mistakes over and over again.

If we had a sense of direction, then letting Inzaghi go at the end of the season and acquiring some proper targets would make sense.

I don't mind the 3-5-2 but not in the way our squad currently is. It's too inflexible since we cannot switch to much else at the moment and maintain it consistently.
In fact, I said many times that I like the 352 overall. It just needs to fit properly.

As of next summer, we will lose Skriniar. De Vrij is not ideal for the 4 back line and doesn't even have a guaranteed roster spot if Acerbi stays and is fit. So we should let him go.

That means we need to go center back shopping. One starter next to Bastoni and at least one decent backup. I mean, I wouldn't mind Luca Caldirola for that 4th CB spot to ve shared with some youth player since we have a restricted budget.

It's time we switch formations. I don't want us to change to 433 or 4231 because that means we need to go for 3 quality wing forwards. And they're expensive.

I'd rather switch to 4312, the 442 diamond variation. It feels like the easiest formation to switch to.


You get to keep Gosens and Dimarco as the guys who control the left flank.
Darmian as backup right back is fine, you just need to upgrade Dumfries to someone who can handle that attacking RB role. And if Cancelo is available, I wouldn't mind him. For the right cost.

New center back has to be fast. Obviously at least good defensively, but prioritizing speed there is a must.

Then you have the 3 players in front of the defense.
Not much needs to change. Hakan, Brozoivc and Barella are more than enough.
You'll need 1 backup who's a proper DM.
Asllani can stick around as the 6th choice.
Mkhitaryan since he's staying it seems, should become the backup AM as he cannot be trusted much as a wide MC in a 4 man defense setup.
Carboni to rotate his role between the 3rd AM backup spot or 5th FW spot. And provide width in case we want to switch to wingers.

And up front I said it before that Firmino needs to be our priority whilst we let Kukaku return to Chelsea and find a way to get rid of Correa.
If we can also get hold of Thuram whilst doing this, great, but it won't be easy and we'll have to settle for someone else. We could manage to get Raspadori via loan + obligation from Napoli seeing that he's not used as much.
I wouldn't be against Berardi even. Would allow us to switch to 433 at times as well.

Then we are left with the #10 hole. No need to spend big but spending smart is a must here. This is also a role that Firmino could fill at times if we bring another quality forward, but for depth reasons it's better to have a designated player here. It's not like Hakan cannot play here either.

Financially it's achievable provided that Suning doesn't say that they want the team disbanded. Selling Dumfries, Correa and perhaps Gosens (which I believe wouldn't be a good decision if we switch to 4312) would definitely allow us to rebuild the team without destroying the foundations.

But are we ready for something like this? Does Marotta want to restructure the team and perhaps make a crucial error in doing so, which would affect his legacy?
Agree with just about every aspect of this post 👍
 

Il Drago

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Well, he sure was a liability yesterday. Redeeming him is just dumb, if we're being honest.

Redeeming Acerbi would be dumb but it would also be dumb to offer extensions to De Vrij and D'Ambrosio. But then you end up with Bastoni, whose future is uncertain, as your only cb in the squad. Even if you switch to a back 4, you have a problem.

It's a similar situation in attack. It would be dumb to extend Lukaku's loan, extend Dzeko at the same terms who only lasts for 6 months and keep Correa who doesn't offer anything. But then you end up with Lautaro as your only forward.

There are big holes in the squad that need addressing but we are at -60m. I don't want to think of next season because i can't see how we're going to avoid a return to banter era. And management is partly to blame for it.

In the last 2 seasons there was no proper plan to keep the squad competitive in the long term. It wasn't entirely their fault but they didn't do anythintg to improve the situation. Instead they just went for quick fixes and stop gaps, postponing hard decisions for the future. They would either offer extensions to our veterans or replace departed veterans with other veterans. Well the time has come that those decisions are going to bite them.
 

CafeCordoba

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In the last 2 seasons there was no proper plan to keep the squad competitive in the long term. It wasn't entirely their fault but they didn't do anythintg to improve the situation. Instead they just went for quick fixes and stop gaps, postponing hard decisions for the future. They would either offer extensions to our veterans or replace departed veterans with other veterans. Well the time has come that those decisions are going to bite them.
Yeah, but that's their job. To look for the immediate future not in 2-3 years. That's just how it is at this point at Inter. Ownership is so fragile and uncertain that the management cannot do plans while simultaneously trying to go for all the trophies.

It's a bit like in American pro sports where GMs do what's best for them (signing expensive, long-term deals to their star players while knowing the deal is good for the next few years and the last 4-5 years will be shit but not his problem anymore since he's probably gone from that team by the time :D ) at the current moment, not in the long-term future. Fans don't like it because fans will be there when the GM is gone.

Of course our management has done mistakes while trying to achieve what they are tasked to achieve. But we need to see the reasons behind their actions in general and my thinking is it's this short-term thinking which in the end comes from the ownership.
 

Dave54

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I would say 4-1-3-1 is not a bad option.

Acerbi/De Vrij, Bastoni/ D'Ambrosio, Gosens/Dimarco, Darmian/Dumfries, Brozo/Asllani, Miki, Hakan, Barella, Lautaro/Dzeko/Lukaku. Or with 4-1-2-2 with Lautaro and Lukaku/Dzeko up front and Hakan/Miki and Barella/Gags in the middle.
 

PHM1605

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sAitZF27c6jNNxyScCAHya-970-80.png.webp


genius-shit-snoop-dogg.gif
Not that genius when everyone in BL want to join Bayern even on free and the owner cannot do anything about it. Like Skriniar case but they use reputation instead of money.

None of them are unknown in Germany beforehand, except Davies.
 

Il Drago

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If you want to sign a winger from Sassuolo then you need to go for Lauriente.
 

RickyMaravilla'sRightFoot

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The time is right to ditch 3-5-2, ditch half our squad that is expiring in the summer, move back to a back 4 and finally sign berardi.
I agree (well maybe not about Berardi) but it’s stupid to go on planning for this formation when our backline for next year is penciled in as: Bastoni, Acerbi, Darmian, and D’Ambrosio + a “mister x” (which will 99% be Becao) + maybe we renew De Vrij. Time to restructure the squad.
 

DARi0

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our ownership postpones contract negotiations for the last possible moment.
Inter have decided to postpone all the contract talks with players in the squad for the time being as they want the focus to be entirely on the pitch rather than on matters off of it :awyeah:
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who report that the Nerrazzurri could wait until the end of the season, or at least until the end of this particular period, to resume contract talks with a number of players.

There are a number of players in Inter’s squad whose current deals run out at the end of June.
Whilst some, like Dalbert and Roberto Gagliardini, are all but guaranteed to leave at the end of the season, others such as defender Stefan de Vrij and Edin Dzeko could certainly sign a new contract and stay.

There have been negotiations ongoing with a number of players, but for the time being no imminent developments are expected, as the focus is entirely on the pitch with key matches on the way in Serie A and in the Champions League.
Play for your future. Amazing strategy, isn`t it?

My guess is they won`t extend Dzeko and De Vrij and this is one way of communicating it.

Best case scenario the club is negotiating a sale and all extensions have been frozen.
 

Il Drago

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Inter have decided to postpone all the contract talks with players in the squad for the time being as they want the focus to be entirely on the pitch rather than on matters off of it :awyeah:

Play for your future. Amazing strategy, isn`t it?

My guess is they won`t extend Dzeko and De Vrij and this is one way of communicating it.

Best case scenario the club is negotiating a sale and all extensions have been frozen.
Amazing strategy if you want clubs to lowball you or lose the player on a free.
 

alvaro

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Lets assume Inzaghi stays or we replace him with another 3-5-2 playing coach.

g:
Onana - STAY - clear number 1.
Handanovic - STAY/OUT - new one year deal as a clear 2nd keeper role, with reduced wages. Or a replacement for same role with half the wages Handa is on now.
Cordaz - STAY - new deal for mascot keeper.

dc:
Bastoni - STAY - first choice for the left side, needs a 2-3mil improvement on contract.
de Vrij - OUT - contract running out, too expensive (4mil/season) to renew as a backup option.
Acerbi - STAY - probably will be redeemed from Lazio, can start some games but mainly replacing de Vrij as backup choice in the middle.
Skriniar - OUT - leaving.
D'Ambrosio - OUT - contract running out, would not renew. Solid for many years but it is time to leave now.
Fontanarosa - OUT - loan.

wb:
Dimarco - STAY - certain to stay.
Gosens - STAY - I'd keep the LWB as it is if he wants to stay.
Dalbert - OUT - lul.
Bellanova - OUT - simply not good enough.
Dumfries - OUT - probably need to raise some money and he's the clear option to get at least something out of.
Darmian - STAY - easy stay whether on DCR or WBR, preferably a backup for either position though.
Zanotti - OUT - loan.

m:
Brozovic - OUT - not a guaranteed starter anymore, time to cash in for hopefully 20-30mil.
Barella - STAY - easy stay.
Asllani - STAY - sub for Calha as a regista, unless he wants more playing time and requests a move.
Calhanoglu - STAY - easy stay.
Gagliardini - OUT - leaving.
Mkhitaryan - STAY - will continue to be valuable for Inzaghi if the coach stays, preferably more on bench though.

s:
Lautaro - STAY - easy stay.
Lukaku - OUT - clearly not worth the 8mil per season.
Correa - OUT - sale, loan, contract termination - just GTFO.
Dzeko - OUT - should play way way less, thus giving him a new contract worth 5mil season is just not a good deal.
Carboni - OUT - loan.

OUT: Handanovic, de Vrij, Skriniar, D'Ambrosio, Dalbert, Bellanova, Dumfries, Brozovic, Gagliardini, Lukaku, Correa, Dzeko.
- 12 players out, 40-45mil off wages per season, 45-60mil received from sales of Brozo and Dumfries.

IN:
* Handa with reduced wages, or another 2nd choice keeper
* 2 dc's, starter for middle and right side
* 1 WBR, starter to replace Dumfries. Darmian back to being a substitute for the role.
* Fabbian replacing Gags
* 1 MC, preferably a starter to bench Mkhitaryan but probably a cheap option like Pereyra to sub for Mkhi.
* 2-3 strikers depending on whether Dzeko would accept a big wage cut.

Wages of 2nd choice keeper (1,5m-2,5m) 2 DCs combined (6-7mil), 1 WBR (2-3mil), Fabbian (1,5-2), 1 MC (2,5-3,5mil), 2-3 strikers (10-15mil).
= combined 23-33mil, making a slight cut in wages.

Money needs to be spent on DC's and Dumfries replacement, with 1 MC probably being a free/low cost and strikers being free (Thuram/Firmino), loan (Scamacca?) and relying on a youngster as 4th option (Satriano/Esposito).
 

Ethor

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Think the combined sale of Dumfries and Brozovic is a bit optimistic 20 -35M. Neither have shown much since World Cup and everyone on the planet including some a couple thousand light-years away know the Inter/Zhang is broke.
 
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