Marotta: 'Inter respect Conte and FFP'

By Football Italia staff

Beppe Marotta confirmed Inter are “seeking two strikers” for Antonio Conte, but “there are economic balances to be respected.”

The former Juventus director general spoke to the media after a summit in China between the Coach and various club chiefs.

Conte hit the headlines with his at times stark and almost insulting treatment of the players no longer in his plans, but Marotta insists that’s nothing new.

“I know Conte very well, I know his language and how to interpret him in the best way,” assured Marotta to reporters after today’s summit.

“The whole club is in sync, even in symbiosis, with the Coach, with his focus on details, the fact he is very demanding and has a strong working culture at the base of everything.

“This is why he feels the need to have a team at his disposal as soon as possible. However, the long transfer window means clubs expand their timing a little and it hasn’t really gone into the next phase yet.

“It’s obvious that we are struggling above all in attack, but we want to do things calmly so that we don’t make any hasty choices.

“Every decision will be made and shared with Conte, without doubt, but we must also recognise that there are economic balances to be respected and so we are keeping a close eye on the Financial Fair Play situation.

“We cannot make too heavy an investment, as we risk falling back into the UEFA bad books.”

Marotta continues to support his new Coach, but at the same time warn the club can only do so much.

“We are with the Coach in wanting to build a competitive squad and we know the great difficulties he is having for his working methods. When I talk about focus on details, it also means being rigid in his squad structure.

“On the one hand, there is the need to create a team and bring in new faces, on the other the requirement to sell those who are surplus to requirements and no longer part of the project, taking nothing away from their professionalism.

“It’s natural that a player who is ready to leave won’t participate with too much intensity in pre-season training. It’s difficult to create a definitive team structure in such a long transfer window.

“I want to reiterate that Conte’s needs are our needs, to improve and reinforce the team.”

Marotta got down to the basics and identified the particular transfer targets.

“We are seeking two strikers, one more experienced and another younger, because as of today we only have Lautaro Martinez. Last season we also had Keita Balde Diao and Mauro Icardi, now we have only one forward.

“We’re trying to ponder and evaluate the various profiles, but it’s a year of change, Conte and his new ideas have arrived, whereas next year we’ll certainly be more prepared and streamlined.”

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