Inter's Ambitious Plans for New Signings and Stadium Development

As Inter Milan prepares for the upcoming Milan Derby, the stakes are clear: securing their sixth consecutive derby victory will clinch the Serie A title. The entire city of Milan, from fans to police, from politicians to merchants, is gearing up for a grand celebration. This promises to be one of Inter's most magnificent triumphs in years. However, the Inter management team isn’t content with just one victory. Their eyes are set on the future, laying the groundwork for next season and beyond. Over the past 24 hours, two key Inter executives—Financial CEO Alessandro Antonello and Transfer Manager Piero Ausilio—have been busy, each bringing positive news in their respective areas.

Progress on the New Stadium Plan

One piece of good news concerns the A Plan for the new stadium. Antonello, whose daily work involves commercial expansion and financial oversight, has his primary mission: advancing the new stadium project. He repeatedly emphasizes the goal of having Inter’s new stadium operational by the 2028-29 season. Yesterday, Antonello expressed his frustration with Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala. Inter has been preparing two options for their stadium: Plan A, which involves “moving out” and purchasing land in Rozzano to build a new stadium, thus separating from AC Milan; and Plan B, which considers the possibility of staying, provided the Milan city government relaxes restrictions on renovating the San Siro and offers some favorable terms.

Previously, Inter had made significant progress with Plan A, securing the priority purchase right for land in Rozzano and conducting feasibility studies for the new stadium. Seeing Inter’s serious intention to move, the Milan city government panicked. Mayor Sala promised a series of benefits to keep Inter at the San Siro, painting a rosy picture of how staying would be highly advantageous for Inter, convincing many fans that staying at their historic home was preferable. However, in today’s political climate in the West, particularly in Italy, practical politicians are rare, and those who talk a lot but deliver little are more common. When Inter genuinely believed that the Milan city government would show sincerity and relax restrictions, they found out it was all talk with no substantial action. Had the city not been intentionally obstructive, Inter wouldn’t have been pushing for a new stadium for over a decade without any progress. Antonello was furious and yesterday criticized the communication with the Milan city government as a "waste of precious time."

This brought about a risk: Inter’s priority purchase right for the land in Rozzano was originally set to expire at the end of April. The Milan city government’s stalling tactics wasted Inter’s valuable time, potentially leading to irreversible consequences. However, Inter received good news: a spokesperson for the Rozzano city government confirmed their willingness to wait for Inter to build their new stadium, extending the priority purchase right to June, and possibly even to December. This demonstrated their sincerity. This means Inter hasn’t lost the opportunity to build a new stadium in Rozzano due to the Milan city government’s stalling. Given Inter’s current financial situation (although Zhang Kangyang’s refinancing solution is likely but not yet officially announced), coming up with the cash to buy the land in April would be difficult. Rozzano’s willingness to extend the deadline is excellent news for Inter. A new stadium is a problem that Inter must solve, even if it means tightening their belts. Gaining more time is undoubtedly a good thing.

Positive Developments in Transfer Market

The other piece of good news relates to new transfer opportunities. During the recent Champions League matches, Inter’s manager Ausilio visited Barcelona and Manchester, attending matches and conducting a series of meetings. Many questioned why Inter, in their financially strapped state, would target players from Barcelona, Manchester City, and Paris Saint-Germain. Some saw this as a lack of self-awareness and wondered how it could be considered good news.

Gazzetta dello Sport reveals that the key lies in the people accompanying Ausilio. During these visits, Ausilio was joined by different agents, intermediaries, and powerful agencies from England, Spain, and France, bringing many cost-effective and feasible proposals. Specific names are not yet known, but upon Ausilio’s return to Milan, it was reported internally that he would discuss these “opportunities” with CEO Giuseppe Marotta, CFO Giovanni Gardini, and the coaching staff. While the Italian media hasn’t uncovered specific names yet, they predict the new targets could be as impactful as Mehdi Taremi or Piotr Zielinski.

Long-Term Planning Amid Championship Aspirations

As the season nears its end, Inter Milan is on the verge of securing the league title. However, the club doesn’t intend to rest on its laurels. The management is already planning to ensure the team remains competitive in the future. Despite some fans still lamenting Inter’s elimination by Atletico Madrid, believing it was the best chance for a strong Champions League run in years, their underlying concern is about Inter’s future competitiveness. This is understandable given Inter’s financial constraints, especially in contrast to Juventus, which received a €900 million injection from the Exor Group over four years, a daunting prospect.

Yet, there is no need for excessive pessimism. As long as Inter is on the right track and the management continues to work diligently and pragmatically, the future will hold hope. With the new stadium plan gaining traction and promising transfer opportunities on the horizon, Inter Milan is laying a solid foundation for continued success. Zhang Kangyang’s move to display the second star ahead of time, although controversial, signifies confidence in the club’s direction. As Inter approaches the derby, all eyes are on the team, waiting to see if they can secure victory and continue their march towards long-term success.