The Azzurri have exceeded 100 million in three of the last four seasons. Marotta only in the year of the second star…
The climb to the summit continues quickly with different strategies. On the right side of the mountain there is Chivu’s Inter, who this year has chosen to invest more in the market by cutting the wage bill; on the other there is the Scudetto winner Napoli, who spent more than last year and also added important salaries. Above all that of De Bruyne, 5.5 million net plus bonuses, who arrived together with Hojlund, Lang, Beukema, Lucca, Milinkovic-Savic, Marianucci, Elmas and Gutierrez. The cost of the Azzurri rose by 41 million: from 92 to 133. That of Inter, however, strengthened with Luis Henrique, Bonny, Sucic, Akanji, Diouf and Esposito’s return from loan, went from 142.9 to 137.3 million. The upper levels nibbled a little by cutting the heavy wages of Pavard (6.5 gross), Correa (6.4), Taremi (5.5), Arnautovic (4), Zalewski (1.8) and so on. The Oaktree line is very clear: rejuvenate the squad and reduce salaries.
here Naples
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Napoli’s wage bill has increased year after year: in the 2022-23 season, that of the third scudetto with Spalletti at the helm, the Azzurri had a cost of €76.5 million. It was the summer of Kim and Kvaratskhelia and the farewells of Insigne and Mertens. Napoli won the title leaving a void behind them. In 2023-24 the salary amount was 89.5 million, while last year it rose to 92. Buongiorno, Ostigard, Gilmour, Lukaku, Neres and obviously Scott McTominay, the absolute protagonist of the fourth championship with 12 goals. Including the one against Cagliari on the last day, in a packed Maradona. Finally, the nine new faces of the summer made Conte’s salary rise to 133 million. Expenses have also increased: in 2023-24 the Azzurri spent around 150 million to strengthen the squad, while last summer, as reigning Italian champions, they paid out 164. The balance went from -73 two years ago to -32.5 this year, thanks above all to the sale of Victor Osimhen to Galatasaray. The Turks paid the 75 million release clause. The Azzurri will also receive 10% of the future resale.
here inter
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Inter spent four times as much as last season: from 22 million in 2024-25 to 87.5 million this year. Two years ago he only paid the fees of Tomas Palacios – taken for 7 million from Argentinians Independiente Rivadavia – and Josep Martinez, purchased from Genoa for 13 million fixed fee. To these, however, are added the cards of Piotr Zielinski and Mehdi Taremi, who arrived on free transfers with heavy salaries: 8.3 gross for the Pole and 5.5 for the Iranian striker, who flew to Olympiacos on a permanent basis in the summer. Welcomed as the luxury reserve who should have let Thuram and Lautaro breathe without problems, he failed to leave his mark: for him only three goals in the whole season, two of which were from penalties and one irrelevant, scored in the final of the Italian Super Cup. Nicola Zalewski was also added in January, arriving on a costly loan and bought out for 6.5 million. He was sold almost immediately to Atalanta for 17. In the last four years Inter have spent more money only in the 2023-24 season, the one that led to the second star’s Scudetto: Frattesi cost 34.5 million, Pavard 33, Carlos 14, Arnautovic 11, Buchanan and Bisseck 7.5 and Sommer 7. The last note is on the balance between income and expenditure: in 2022-23 Napoli closed with a budget of -46 million, Inter with +15; in 2023-24 we have Napoli at +12 and Inter at -20; in 2024-25 Napoli at -73 and Inter at -10. The last market brought them closer: -34.5 for Napoli, -32.2 for Inter.
strategies for the summit
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The two properties pursue different strategies. Let’s take Inter. This year, thanks to the 132 million in revenues obtained thanks to reaching the second Champions League final in three years, he did not give up any column and spent almost one hundred million to set up the team. In 2023 he collected 58 for Onana, 23 for Brozovic and another 15 for Gosens, in 2021 he said goodbye to Lukaku for 115 and Hakimi for 68. It was the year of the red budget of 245.6 million. Now it’s another story: the 2024-25 season recorded the best balance sheet in Nerazzurri history with +35 million profit and a record turnover of 546. With Oaktree the planning has changed: no more purchases over thirty. The summer signing campaign, where Inter had at least one hundred million at their disposal for the first time after several seasons, guaranteed Chivu players from any capital gains. Esposito is twenty, Sucic is 21, Diouf is 23, Luis Henrique is turning 24 and Bonny will be 22 next Saturday. The only exception was Akanji, thirty years old. Napoli, on the other hand, financed its acquisition campaigns with an important transfer. In 2022 he earned more than 60 million for Koulibaly and Fabian Ruiz, in 2023 57 for Kim and 12 for Lozano, in 2024 20 for Elmas, while the 2025 transfer was Kvaratskhelia (70), who flew out in January to win the Champions League in Paris by sweeping away Inter in the final. In the end, despite the Georgian’s departure, Napoli still finished ahead of the Nerazzurri. In the summer he increased his wages again to win the second championship in a row. The third in four seasons. Not even Maradona managed to do it.
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