Pinto’s meeting with the agent, but the costs are high for the Giallorossi. Nerazzurri summit in Appiano: Inzaghi’s ok, a 15 million offer is ready for the former Juventus player, but Atletico are still asking for 20. Go-ahead Ok from the Piacenza coach also in Balogun, but the Arsenal makes a valuation of over 40 million
– MILAN
T he after Lukaku is a complex territory, not yet fully explored: the legacy of the Belgian, who broke every Inter heart on Earth with his betrayal, will be cumbersome for anyone. The Nerazzurri club, however, has now moved on to counter-moves: they sit down on several tables, shuffle the playing cards, but above all they seem to follow the path indicated by their coach yesterday too. In fact, Inzaghi claims a “done” striker, tested on the Serie A fields, perhaps even capable of doing the fine-tuning work that was entrusted to Dzeko last year. Simone repeated it in a face-to-face meeting in Appiano with the managers, from the CEO Beppe Marotta to the ds Piero Ausilio with the deputy Dario Baccin. On this basis, and also for reasons of penny savings, the snapshot taken yesterday for Alvaro Morata can be explained. This, however, without the club’s sights having moved from Folarin Balogun: the American starlet from Arsenal is very popular, but she knows more about betting and has a much higher cost. In the case of the Spaniard ex Juve still no direct move from the Nerazzurri, but just enough to get on pole: thus Roma, who have been working on the same dossier for some time, have been overtaken. The Giallorossi would really like to reunite two brothers for Mourinho: Paulo and Alvaro, Dybala and Morata, friends in constant telephone contact since the end of the season. Yesterday, however, the CEO Beppe Marotta and sporting director Piero Ausilio went straight to the point, far beyond the good feelings and memories of the past. They have re-established relations with Atletico Madrid and have tried to clarify once and for all what the price of the attacker is. Then they also contacted the entourage of the player who will be heard today to get to the heart of the deal. A first movement useful to understand how much the Spaniard is ready to open the doors to Inter: Alvaro would prefer the Nerazzurri for a matter of ambitions and… Champions League.
ALVARO SNAPS
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However, twenty million is the bar, the amount that Atletico need to let Morata go, beyond any controversy over the clause attached to the player. Yesterday, Giallorossi sporting director Tiago Pinto met Alvaro’s agent Juanma Lopez, and the meeting did not leave any particular optimism: the costs of the operation are high, too high for the Friedkin club. Unless the clause really can be lowered, at the same time as the possible renewal of the Spaniard to extend with the Madrid club until 2024, spreading the salary from 9 to 6 million. On this “discount” Atletico, however, cuts short and for all rowing against the absence of the Growth Decree: in this case the tax gross is paid in full. Before remaining frozen at the climax, Inter had in any case outsourced a total of 40 million to buy the prodigal son Lukaku outright and would have spent around 10.5 million for the Belgian’s gross salary: we are not far from the amount that would be needed to pay Alvaro’s salary. In short, at least at the start, the Nerazzurri seem to have a few more ammunition. In today’s meeting with Alvaro’s agent, the Nerazzurri plan to offer around 15 million: not what Atletico want, but in this way a breach could begin to open.
THE ALTERNATIVES
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If Morata then embraces Mou and Dybala again, Inter will certainly not be displaced: among the managers there is even greater appreciation for Balogun, who has returned to North London after having made havoc at Reims. Contacted by Inter, those of Arsenal made a round price for the American: 40 million pounds, 46 in euros, beyond the price Lukaku had. On the salary, dividend over several years, however, there would be the possibility of nibbling something. What intrigues, however, is above all the possibility of changing the tactical score, something Inzaghi doesn’t dislike either: while preferring the idea of a more “traditional” 9 (Taremi of Porto and Beto of Udinese were the other names mentioned during the meeting), Simone agreed on the fact that with a 2001 of this level, on the global launch pad, acceleration and dribbling could come. That pepper ever given by his protégé Joaquin Correa in the last two years. A bit like Elye Wahi, who is 20 years old and amazed in Ligue 1 with Montpellier: in case of a young choice, watch out for the French surprise.
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