Petrachi: 'Confusion in Inter hierarchy'

By Football Italia staff

Roma director of sport Gianluca Petrachi has spoken about the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the Leonardo Spinazzola-Matteo Politano deal. “There was confusion in the Inter hierarchy.”

The swap deal seemed all but complete, with both players taking their medicals at Inter and Roma respectively, before the deal was cancelled due to Inter changing the formula of Spinazzola’s loan deal.

Inter general manager Beppe Marotta has since said that the deal didn’t suit the club on a ‘technical, medical, economic and physical level’.

Marotta’s opposite number at Roma, Petrachi, has now spoken about his version of events.

“Spinazzola is in good shape, he is very happy to be at Roma and will remain at Roma,” Petrachi told Sky Sport Italia.

“I admire Marotta, but evidently there was a short-circuit or a total breakdown in communication between the Inter director of sport and CEO.

“We had all the emails and discussions. There was talk of medicals, but Marotta worked with Spinazzola at Juventus, so knew him well.

“Spinazzola passed the medical, he was fully fit, and suddenly Inter proposed different terms that were not acceptable to us. It’s a pity above all for Politano, who is a lovely lad and a fine player who really wanted to come back to Roma.

“Common sense must rule, as things can happen on the market, but when a word has been given and an operation is closed, then it is closed.

“I don’t know what can happen now, we still need a wide forward. If Inter want to loan Politano to Roma and let him play for six months, we are ready to listen and indeed hope to get the best out of this lad who at the very least we could get more value out of by giving him playing time.

“Transfer market scuffles will always occur, but when words are not kept after promises are made, that is disappointing.”

Winger Cengiz Under has been linked with a move away from the capital, so will he leave the Giallorossi this month?

“No, absolutely not. I called Politano’s agent and said we didn’t intend to make any changes, but with this huge injury to Zaniolo, we were forced into action.

“We had not originally put Spinazzola on the market. He was requested by Inter. We were in that situation, so we decided to continue along that path. Then Inter changed their minds.

“What I think is that Inter had this confusion even before the medical. At a certain point, Marotta spoke to Fienga and said he was not convinced by the formula we had agreed with their director of sport.

“When my CEO gives the all-clear, their director of sport agrees, as far as I am concerned, the operation is closed. They then went ahead and had the medical anyway.”

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