Inter won the Serie A title despite a lack of significant investments last summer and Simone Inzaghi has been using resources wisely, including former Manchester United men Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Matteo Darmian.
It would be wrong to say Inter were not the favourite to win the title at the start of the season. Even if Napoli had dominated the previous campaign, winning the first Serie A title in 33 years, summer recruitments, including coach Rudi Garcia, raised eyebrows. At the same time, Milan had changed the team massively while Juventus only signed Timothy Weah, and despite the lack of European competitions, it was clear they didn’t have the same quality as the Nerazzurri.
Nevertheless, Inter were also pretty busy last summer, when they changed almost half of the team. Furthermore, winning a title, especially in Italy, is never an easy achievement, so Inter’s Scudetto should not be taken for granted.
We’ve already discussed Simone Inzaghi’s impact and the impressive performances of Inter stars in 2023-24, but what hasn’t been discussed enough is the work of directors Beppe Marotta, Piero Ausilio, and Dario Baccin.
Forced to operate with a reduced transfer budget, Marotta has led the group of directors smartly and made the right moves at the right time. Romelu Lukaku was among the players leaving the Stadio Meazza last summer, but the Nerazzurri CEO didn’t panic. Inter signed Marcus Thuram on a free transfer, and the Frenchman, who was in talks with Milan, quickly became a starter. The Frenchman scored back-to-back goals in the Milan derby, including the decisive strike for Inter’s 20th title on Monday.
Benjamin Pavard was the most expensive purchase for Inter last summer as the France international moved to the Meazza for €30m from Bayern Munich. Davide Frattesi joined from Sassuolo on a €5m loan with an obligation to buy, Yann Sommer replaced André Onana for just €6.5m, while the Cameroon international moved to Manchester United for €50m.
How much Inter spent in 2023-24
As reported by Transfermarkt, Inter spent €70.7m for new signings and earned almost €130m from player sales. The Onana deal with United was particularly impressive as the Cameroon international joined the Red Devils for €50m after just one season at the Meazza. He had signed for the Nerazzurri a season earlier on a free transfer from Ajax.
The Red Devils have been among the biggest spenders in Europe over the last few years, but results have not matched their investments. Inter, on the contrary, have won six trophies in three seasons under Inzaghi despite a low transfer budget and the need to sell some of their best players to balance the books. Luckily for their fans, this is something they will not be forced to repeat in the summer.
Inter’s Serie A title is a lesson for Man United and the Premier League
The lesson for Man United is even more significant if you think about two of Inter’s best players this season: Mkhitaryan and Darmian. Many thought Mkhi would have become a benchwarmer after Frattesi’s signing, but the ex-Armenian midfielder has started nearly every Serie A match, contributing to 12 goals and deserving a one-year contract extension.
Darmian has played as a centre-back and as a right wing-back, and his performances at the Stadio Meazza will help him earn a spot in the Italy squad for Euro 2024. Undoubtedly, competition in the Premier League is higher than in Serie A, especially for a top-four spot, but Marotta’s philosophy, first at Juventus and now at Inter, has proved to be a winning combination of competitiveness and sustainability.
As the Italian director said before last season’s Champions League Final against Manchester City: “If we consider the money spent by Manchester City to put this team together, then on paper they are like a tank. But in sport it is not true that the team that spends the most will always win, so we want to give our best with our own strengths, such as ideas, technique, tactics and a great sense of belonging.” That’s why Inter’s Serie A title is a lesson for Manchester United and other Premier League clubs, especially in a season where English football has Aston Villa as its only representative in the semifinals of European club competitions.