Inter, Handanovic towards the two-year renewal with reduced salary

For better or for worse, he always put his face to it. On this no one will ever be able to criticize Samir Handanovic, who has often come under fire in the last two seasons. But the swing of performances has never undermined the goalkeeper’s position: Handa has always been the undisputed owner since the first day at Pinetina, summer 2012. A long love story, in short, which in recent months seemed close to the titles of queue, with a contract expiring on June 30 and the difficulties in finding an agreement for the future. Inter have long since blocked André Onana, the Ajax goalkeeper who will arrive in the summer on a free transfer. Yet something has changed in recent weeks between Handanovic and Inter: “I think I can renew, indeed I hope so”, said Samir after the victory against Juve. The horizon, in fact, now tends to be serene and Handa and the club seem closer to the agreement for the new – last – contract, expiring in 2024. Two more years together, in short, with a salary obviously lower than the current 3.2 million. per season and a role to be defined.

New role

–

The story speaks for Handanovic: never since he joined Inter has managed to question his role as an immovable starter. The arrival of Onana, therefore, will open up an unprecedented scenario, with Handanovic – 38 years old in July – which at least at the start will start behind the Cameroonian, or at least on par. In the intentions of the club, Samir will have to act as a hen to Onana, help him in the insertion and keep him always on the rope. Because André is also a roller coaster goalkeeper, as evidenced by the latest performances between club and national team: first negative decisive in the elimination of Ajax from the Champions League, then super protagonist of the Cameroon World Cup qualification, with a hero night in Algeria . In short, Handanovic’s renewal would be an insurance policy for Inter, should Onana have difficulty in impacting the Italian league. A noble technical parachute, as well as an important voice in the Nerazzurri locker room.

The records

–

Handanovic at Inter has rewritten history, becoming a man of records who will forever remain among the symbols of the first “foreign” era. Samir has lived through many: he saw the club change hands from Moratti to Thohir, until the new Suning era, which brought Inter back to where Handa thought he would stay for a long time when he chose Milan for the leap in quality. Instead, in the beginning, disappointments were more than joys and the team’s performances did not follow the enormous growth of the Slovenian goalkeeper. Samir has canceled the old records: from the number of matches without conceding to penalties rejected in A. Up to the one he is perhaps most proud of: he is the most present goalkeeper in the league in the history of Inter, with 359 games. More than legends like Bordon (280) and Zenga (328), more than a winner like Julio Cesar (228). And he reached the milestone in the most exciting year, which ended with his first championship victory, complete with an armband. The appointment with the club for the renewal is at the end of the season: getting there with the second star on the chest would have a completely different flavor.