The moods are still the same as at the end of the season; certainly a month without competitive football will not change them. The Milan led by Cardinale is still living under protest, while Marotta’s Inter (Oaktree) is still riding the Scudetto high. What has changed, as highlighted by today’s edition of Tuttosport in an in-depth report, is the bank balance.
Cardinale and Milan go all in
The head of RedBird is introducing significant changes to the way the club has operated in recent years. First came his direct involvement in club decisions, then heavy investment without worrying about costs. The €74 million for Gonçalo Ramos is a highly unexpected calling card, but so too is the €25 million planned for Mario Gila.
In just under a month, after resetting the management and changing coach, Cardinale is putting €100 million on the table, without waiting for player sales and without Champions League revenue. It will then be the pitch, the final judge, that decides whether the chosen path is finally the right one, as relayed via Milan Press.
Marotta and Inter conserve, but lose targets:
On the other side of the city there is an Inter fresh from winning the league title and Coppa Italia, which has so far kept hold of its best players (Dumfries excluded), but has not been able to deliver the signings eagerly awaited by Chivu and the fans. Both Marco Palestra and Nico Paz have slipped away in deals worth around €60 million, one to Chelsea and the other to Como.
The Nerazzurri remain favourites for the next league title and have so far invested around €30–35 million for the return of Aleksandar Stankovic, the retention of Manuel Akanji and the arrival of Ivan Provedel. Khalaili, Chalobah and Jones are not names that inspire dreams, but here too it will be the pitch that has the final say.
