Former Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti is wondering if the Serie A giants are regretting losing Ivan Perisic with the winger impressing in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur, speaking to Football Italia.
Napoli, Atalanta, Udinese and Lazio; you’d have got long odds on this being Serie A’s top four heading into the September international break. Not so long ago, riots were threatening to break out on the streets of Naples, Maurizio Sarri was under serious pressure at Lazio, and Atalanta’s time at the top of the tree appeared to be coming to an end.
As for Udinese, well, they have rarely been anywhere higher than mid-table since the Antonio di Natalie glory days. In fact, the last time the Zebrette graced the top half, Perisic was still a Borussia Dortmund player.
Inter Milan, Scudetto winners in 2021, fell even further adrift of the early pacesetters this weekend too, going down 3-1 at an Udinese side who also put four past Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Ivan Perisic shining at Tottenham Hotspur after Inter Milan exit
“This start was unexpected,” sighs Moratti, president of the Inter side who secured an unprecedented treble in 2010.
The loss of Perisic, arguably last season’s most consistent performer, coupled with Romelu Lukaku’s injury problems are, according to Moratti, just two of the issues under-fire head coach Simone Inzaghi must find an answer too.
“Certainly, Lukaku’s injury has had an impact and changed the situation,” he says. “But it looks like a bigger problem to me, regarding the internal rapport between players and coach.
“I hope that is not true, because I think Inzaghi is a good lad and a fine coach. The team is also more or less the same as last season.”
Except Perisic, of course.
“We all like to pretend to forget that Perisic was a fantastic player,” Moratti adds. “He gave a very big helping hand to the defence too. Perhaps his departure was under-estimated. It was a very big and notable change to the team.”
Even at 33, Perisic remains a deep shade of evergreen. In nine games for Tottenham Hotspur, the Croatian wing-back already has four assists.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
