Inter Milan vice-president Javier Zanetti admits the Serie A giants missed out on Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez and Liverpool target Enzo Fernandez because the Argentine duo were too expensive, speaking to ESPN.
If this is indeed to be Lionel Messi’s last dance on the World stage, then good news for Albiceleste supporters is that, as they as they are concerned, the future looks brighter than a Love Islander’s veneers.
Between them, Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alvarez have just 21 caps. If you put their respective ages together, they’d still be younger than Gianluigi Buffon. And, during Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Poland on Wednesday, it was the latter who would set up the former for the game’s decisive second goal; Enzo scything through midfield before clipping a gorgeous pass into Alvarez’s feet.
Man City’s £14 million summer signing was wheeling away in celebration mere moments later, the ball nestling in the far corner of Wojciech Szczesny’s net. The understanding Enzo and Alvarez built up during their formative years at River Plate reaping rewards on the biggest of stages.
Inter Milan wanted Man City’s Julian Alvarez and Liverpool target Enzo Fernandez
“You could immediately see that they had that profile of players destined for great things,” Zanetti says of Enzo and Alvarez; the duo having surely now forced their way into Lionel Scaloni’s XI for Saturday’s round-of-16 clash with Australia.
“When you have faith in young players, you don’t have to evaluate their immediate quality, but what they can become over a period of four or five years. I like the character they have. When you play for a top team, character is important. And they have it.”
“They were names we were interested in signing. However, given the club’s financial situation, we were unable to move for them.”
Inter have spent most of the recent past grappling with serious Financial Fair Play issues. Issues which lead to the departures of Romelu Lukaku, Achraf Hakimi and even Antonio Conte following their 2021 Scudetto-winning campaign.
Enzo Fernandez, meanwhile, would follow former River Plate team-mate Alvarez to Europe over the summer. The masterful midfielder joined Benfica in a bargain deal. The Portuguese giants could be set to make an immediate profit, too; Enzo now a £44 million target for Liverpool (Sky Sports).
“Enzo does not surprise me. I know him. I see him train every day, I played against him in the Champions League,” beams captain Messi.
“He is a spectacular boy and a very important player for us.”
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