Inter Milan

Inter Milan icon and vice-president Javier Zanetti has said he is hopeful Mauro Icardi will remain at the club for a long time yet. 

The Serie A side's star striker has been linked with a move away in recent months, with Jose Felix Diaz and David Medina of Marca reporting in the summer the Argentina international was on Real Madrid's list of targets.

Inter were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday after drawing 1-1 with PSV Eindhoven and after the game Zanetti was asked about the future of Icardi by the Chinese press (h/t Calciomercato.com).

"Icardi? His contribution is always very important," said Zanetti. "I hope he can stay here for many years and become a legend in the history of Inter."

The Nerazzurri may have had a disappointing night in Europe, but Icardi added to his reputation as an elite forward with another goal in the competition; he netted four times in his six Champions League appearances.

The PSV match brought up a landmark number of Inter outings for the striker, during which time he has been prolific:

⚫️🔵 Mauro Icardi at Inter:

👕2⃣0⃣0⃣
⚽️1⃣1⃣9⃣#UCL pic.twitter.com/H60xxCSVOy

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 11, 2018

He's also developed a habit of scoring crucial goals:

Icardi comes up with a BIG goal for Inter ⚫🔵 pic.twitter.com/FcMqP2dQPU

— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 11, 2018

His displays, coupled with the remarkable form he's showcased in Italian football for many years, paint the picture of a footballer who can thrive at the highest level. It's why it wouldn't be a shock if a team of Real Madrid's calibre were interested in securing his signature.

While he may not contribute too much in general play, when the ball goes into the penalty area, Icardi is such a threat. His anticipation, alertness and ability to finish different types of opportunities make him so difficult to keep off the scoresheet.

Speaking about Icardi, Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini offered insight into how challenging he is to stop:

https://twitter.com/IFTVofficial/status/1073227141477748736

In a recent conversation with Corriere dello Sport (h/t Goal's Joe Wright), the Inter No. 9 played down speculation regarding a move.

"I've always made my goals clear: first, to return to the Champions League with Inter, and we've done that. Second, to win something with Inter," he said. "The [sporting] director [Piero Ausilio] has made a good team despite not being able to spend a lot."

In addition, Icardi also said he would sign a contract extension with Inter "when the time comes."

Real Madrid have lacked a focal point in attack following the summer sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus. Icardi is undoubtedly someone who could provide the edge they have been missing in the final third.

However, the striker has never appeared keen on moving away from Inter and perhaps has more goals to accomplish at the San Siro before he begins a new chapter in his career.

Incoming Inter Milan director Giuseppe "Beppe" Marotta is reportedly planning a bold move for Manchester United midfielder and Juventus target Paul Pogba, using the Red Devils' interest in Ivan Perisic and Milan Skriniar to land the Frenchman.

That's according to Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia), who reported the former Juventus director wants to "hijack" the Bianconeri's move for their former star. Jose Mourinho's interest in both Perisic and Skriniar is well-documented.

Football Italia called the report a "remarkable assertion," and such a move would indeed be a major shock. Inter have fallen well behind Juventus and Napoli in the Serie A pecking order in recent years and no longer appear a prime destination for the sport's best players.

Most of the recent transfer links involving Pogba have been to Juventus, and Tuttosport has frequently reported on the saga.

It previously stated his agent Mino Raiola is working on a deal:

Paul Pogba | Tuttosport say Mino Raiola has asked his client to keep a low profile and stay out of the headlines, as he tries to engineer a move back to Juve.

Pogba also said to have made a promise.https://t.co/c4rPrGmVxp #mufc pic.twitter.com/SoKjEhyypV

— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) November 21, 2018

The Mirror also weighed in:

🚨 Transfer update 🚨

Paul Pogba has reportedly told pals he's on the move ✈️ pic.twitter.com/BMUJUyZFCh

— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) November 20, 2018

The 25-year-old returned to Old Trafford in 2016 but has failed to live up to the lofty expectations so far. There have been several reports his relationship with Mourinho is fractured, and earlier this season it was even suggested the tactician had told his squad he would never name him captain again, per Rob Dawson of ESPN FC.

Juventus has been discussed as a likely destination should Pogba move on, as the World Cup winner emerged as a top player in Turin and has spoken highly of his former club since.

The Bianconeri have never been shy of welcoming back former players, moving for Leonardo Bonucci as recently as this summer even though the Italian left on bad terms. He has since said he made a mistake leaving the Old Lady, per Corriere dello Sport (h/t Football Italia).

A move for Pogba would be complicated due to the finances involved. At the time United signed him, they made the Frenchman the most expensive player in the world, and the Red Devils would likely be looking for a similar fee.

The Bianconeri just splashed the cash on Cristiano Ronaldo, so they may need to sell before they can spend such money again.

Inter could balance things out by including Perisic or Skriniar, but convincing the midfielder to join their project would be difficult. Pogba is a world-class talent―it's hard to see him settling for a team that hasn't won a meaningful piece of silverware since 2011.  

Inter Milan have reportedly entered the race to sign Italian wonderkid Sandro Tonali, with Chelsea and Juventus both considering the prodigy.

Calciomercato (h/t Jamie Anderson of the Daily Express) reported the San Siro giants have joined the expanding list of clubs desiring the 18-year-old, with former Juve CEO Giuseppe Marotta expected to be employed at Inter in due course. Marotta reportedly has a good relationship with one of Tonali's representatives and could swing a deal in favour of the Nerazzurri.

Italian newspaper Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia) recently reported the Old Lady want to buy the midfielder and immediately loan him back to his current club, with the Serie A holders attempting to secure his long-term talents.

Bleacher Report's Gianni Verschueren thinks Tonali's future could be decided in January:

https://twitter.com/ReverschPass/status/1062123366432284677

The teenager has started 11 games in Serie B this term, and his performances have alerted a host of clubs.

Tonali was called up to Italy's senior squad in November. He promises to be a perennial member of the national side as he develops further.

The youngster has been likened to Andrea Pirlo, and his style has excited supporters of the Little Swallows in the second tier.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Calciomercato) reported Premier League champions Manchester City have also scouted Tonali, with Sky Blues coach Pep Guardiola keeping a keen eye on the potential future superstar.

Per Calciomercato, Brescia value the Lombardy-born talent at €25 million (£22.5 million), and Tonali could represent a huge steal for any prospective buyer.

Marotta's expected arrival should be hugely significant for Inter, with the 61-year-old an experienced hand at building successful operations.

The executive helped place Juve on a path of unprecedented success, and he will see the value in signing one of his nation's best young talents.

Both Milan teams crave their former domestic and European success, and Marotta could represent an important piece of the jigsaw for Inter's Chinese owners.

Interest in Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar from Barcelona and Manchester United is reportedly causing "constant sirens" at the Serie A club.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Tom Coast of Sport Witness), United and Barca both remain keen on the centre-back, who has continued his excellent development in the top flight.

Inter, while hoping to tie down Skriniar to a new deal, are also said to be putting contingency plans in place for when he does move on, with Sampdoria defender Joachim Andersen's future "clearly linked" with their current centre-back, according to Gazzetta.

United are said to have made a €60 million (£53 million) bid for Skriniar in the summer, although that was turned down by the Milan giants. Coast added that any successful offer may now have to be in excess of the world-record amount for a defender (£75 million) Liverpool paid to land Virgil van Dijk.

Skriniar has been making stellar progress since arriving in Italy with Sampdoria in 2016 and is now among the best defenders in European football. As such, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Inter dig their heels in and resist any approach for the player.

Bleacher Report's Rob Blanchette commented on how well Skriniar played in the recent meeting between Inter and Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League:

If #MUFC want a new centre-back they should go after Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar. I covered Inter v Barca last night and he was sensational. Forget Maguire at £60m. Bid £80m for Skriniar before he signs a new deal at the San Siro. He’s going to be utterly world class.

— Rob Blanchette (@_Rob_B) November 7, 2018

It's those types of performances that will catch the eye of European football's elite clubs, as Skriniar has all the attributes needed to go to the top.

Since arriving at Inter, he hasn't looked daunted by playing for one of Italy's historic clubs, and he is proving himself as a leader whenever he steps out on to the pitch.

Skriniar is razor-sharp in his defensive duties. He is rarely caught out in terms of positioning, and when he does need to make a tackle or dart in for an interception, he does so with a sense of authority.

He rarely panics on the ball, too:

Milan Skriniar: Only Marlon Santos (95.2%) has a better pass success rate than Skriniar (93.2%) of defenders in Serie A this season

For more player stats -- https://t.co/wqlGv4qraK pic.twitter.com/JcQXZS8Dxv

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) October 18, 2018

Barcelona do have stronger options at the back than United, with the pairing of Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti still effective despite the former's erratic recent form. Clement Lenglet also arrived for big money in the summer window.

United would arguably be the bigger beneficiaries of this kind of transfer, as they've struggled for cohesion in defence this season under manager Jose Mourinho.

Rob Dawson of ESPN FC put their recent issues into some context:

United shipping goals early and often. Makes for good comebacks but not a viable tactic going forward. First time they've conceded more than 20 goals in their first 12 games of a top-flight season since 1966.

— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) November 11, 2018

Skriniar arriving wouldn't be an instant antidote to those woes, although it's been clear this season the Red Devils lack a leading centre-back at the base of their team. Mourinho appears to have settled on Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof for now, although both still have question marks over them.

If they were able to get Skriniar in the next couple of windows, it would be an expensive transfer but no doubt a step in the right direction. The 23-year-old is the type of defender the Red Devils would be able to build their defence around for a long time to come.

 

Senegal will be missing star forward Keita Balde Diao when they face Equatorial Guinea in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday after they sent his call-up information to Inter Milan's old email address.

The outdated information means Inter weren't told of the call-up and now refuse to let Keita join up with his national team. Abdoulaye Sow, vice president of the Senegalese FA, released a statement (h/t GianlucaDiMarzio.com):

"We have sent an email to Inter to inform them of the summoned player, but it was sent to the old email address that Internazionale Milano no longer uses. They changed their address. At the current moment, the player can not leave and can not be called to join us. His club is uncompromising."

Senegal are joint-leaders of qualifying Group A alongside Madagascar, and both have secured their places in the final tournament. However, it looks like it will come down to the last game to decide who wins the pool, with only two matches remaining in the campaign.

Milanese journalist Tancredi Palmeri highlighted just how odd the clerical error was:

The weird news of the day:

Inter’s Keita Balde missing on Senegal call-up because...Senegal sent the call-up to an old mail of Inter, as admitted by Senegal FA vicepresident himself

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) November 13, 2018

The Lions of Teranga are fortunate to be somewhat blessed in the attacking department, but the likes of Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr and M'Baye Niang may not appreciate the added pressure.

That's particularly the case when Keita's absence could have been so easily avoided, but Inter will welcome the mistake. The former Lazio forward joined Inter on loan in the summer and will return to parent club AS Monaco in the summer unless the Nerazzurri decide to trigger the purchase option in his contract.

He's started only three times in 13 appearances for Luciano Spalletti's side, however, and has looked a far cry from the fast-footed whiz who once impressed for Lazio, per broadcaster Deji Faremi:

That season when Keita Balde was playing so well for Lazio, and could dribble any gadem person he wished to dribble.

— Deji Faremi (@deejayfaremi) September 25, 2018

Senegal manager Aliou Cisse will consider it fortunate Senegal are already qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations—a mistake such as this would have been far more grave otherwise.

Spanish-born Keita will miss his chance to impress for his country, although the break will also offer him an opportunity to get a head start on his club preparations.

Inter Milan vice-president Javier Zanetti has said the club are "not aware" of Real Madrid's interest in captain Mauro Icardi despite frequent links between the two parties. 

Icardi has enjoyed consistent scoring form at the San Siro for the past four years and inspired alleged interest from Los Blancos, but Zanetti spoke to Marca (h/t Football Espana) and detailed his importance at Inter.

He said: "Icardi is very happy at Inter, and we are not aware of any interest of Real Madrid. We know the situation of our own club, we are under no pressure to sell, and Mauro is our star player and our focal point in attack."

Questions have been asked of Real's lacklustre attack this season, and the club recorded the longest goal drought in their history in October, per Marca's Juan Ignacio Garcia-Ochoa, prior to Julen Lopetegui's sacking.

Results have improved since Santiago Solari took over as interim coach, with Real winning their last two matches against Melilla in the Copa del Rey and Real Valladolid in La Liga, scoring six times.

Inter have scored 21 goals in 11 league games—only Juventus and Napoli (24) have more—and Icardi is responsible for six of those.

The Argentina international failed to net in his first four league games this season but has now bagged in each of his last four outings. He's hit a particularly hot patch of form of late, per OptaPaolo:

5 - Mauro #Icardi has scored five goals with his last six shots on target in Serie A. Sniper#LazioInter pic.twitter.com/yZfdPu8pCa

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) October 29, 2018

Karim Benzema is Real's top scorer this term with seven goals in 16 games—four in La Liga—as the Frenchman has attempted to help fill the void left after Cristiano Ronaldo departed for Juventus in the summer.

The Frenchman, 31 in December, netted 31 times in 95 appearances over the past two campaigns, but Solari has found value in his other talents and called Benzema "incredible" after their recent win over Valladolid:

"I'm not the one who is going to discover him. He was liked by the previous managers, and he's an incredible player.

"He's got incredible tactics, he makes his team-mates better and he worked very hard also in defence, which I think are fantastic characteristics which say a lot about him."

It's no surprise Inter legend Zanetti appears so precious over Argentinian compatriot Icardi, who recently scored twice against Lazio to help keep the Nerazzurri second in Serie A:

The 25-year-old has a contract at the San Siro until 2021, which is said to have a €110 million (£96.1 million) buyout clause that could be deemed within Real's reach in the current market.

Former Barcelona academy pupil Icardi has spent the past seven years of his career in Italy and moved to Inter from Sampdoria in 2013.

He's scored 115 goals in 193 appearances for the Milan outfit, per Transfermarkt, and averaged 0.59 goals per game over the course of his five years.

Zanetti and Inter appear secure over Icardi's long-term future in Milan, but the links with Real could test those loyalties when their need to sign a new striker becomes more desperate.

Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric will reportedly be the subject of a renewed bid from Inter Milan in January, with the club understood to be on the verge of appointing former Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta. 

Tuttosport (h/t TalkSport) reported the Nerazzurri are close to naming ex-Juve transfer guru Marotta in some capacity, and they'll hope his influence can push a deal for Modric over the line this winter.

The Croatia international was linked with a move to the San Siro over the summer and could be tempted to jump ship after Real lost 5-1 to Barcelona on Sunday, their fifth defeat in seven matches.

Corriere della Sera (h/t Calciomercato.com) reported Marotta is even willing to take a cut in severance pay from Juventus in order to push his move to Inter across the line.

Juventus blogger Arjun Pradeep posted a Tuttosport front cover from earlier in October detailing how substantial that figure was:

🇮🇹 📰 |

Front page of TS headlines on Pres Agnelli's letter to shareholders confirming the strategy until 2024:
'More money, more Champions.'

Record compensation to Marotta via bonuses, €5.6m

Meanwhile Cristiano Ronaldo will miss 4 games for Portugal in sync with their Coach. pic.twitter.com/NZBbeGeOln

— Arjun Pradeep (@IndianRegista) October 5, 2018

Modric is aiming to win the 2018 Ballon d'Or after he was named The Best FIFA's Men's Player for 2018 in September. The 33-year-old was a driving force behind Croatia's runner-up finish at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, while he also won a third successive UEFA Champions League with Los Blancos in May.

All that helped encourage talk of interest from Inter, who already have several of the player's Croat compatriots in their squad: Ivan Perisic, Marcelo Brozovic and Sime Vrsaljko (on loan from Atletico Madrid).

The playmaker is in his seventh season with Real but has only 20 months left to run on his contract. That means the winter and summer transfer windows of 2019 may be Real's last opportunities to demand a premium sum for their veteran.

Modric has in any case indicated he has no intention of leaving Real and said in August that he was content in Madrid, via Omnisport:

https://twitter.com/OmnisportNews/status/1035550277087068160

The Italian figurehead was highly regarded as a mastermind in helping Juventus achieve their success in recent years, having also played a part in getting £100 million man Cristiano Ronaldo to Turin this past summer.

The interest in Modric means Real may lose another of their high-profile stars to Serie A, and Massimiliano Allegri recently praised Marotta's effect at his club after the latter's departure from the Allianz Stadium was confirmed:

🎙 @OfficialAllegri: "Marotta, alongside the President, Nedved, and Paratici, has been the architect of this great Juventus. I wish him all the best for the future."#EmpoliJuve #ForzaJuve

— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) October 26, 2018

The Nerazzurri have already illustrated they have considerable resources and appeal to high-quality stars after a busy summer transfer window.

Radja Nainggolan's capture from AS Roma looks like their biggest coup, while Argentinian striker Lautaro Martinez was also a fine signing, along with the free acquisitions of Stefan De Vrij and Kwadwo Asamoah.

Modric would be another step up from that calibre, however, and Inter may be close to bringing in the Serie A supremo who can help negotiate their way to his capture.

For one group of former Inter Milan players, there is a tiny rural corner of eastern England that will be forever blue and black.

On May 20 this year, Norwich City's Carrow Road staged a charity football match between a team of former Norwich players and an Inter Forever XI featuring such famous names as Francesco Toldo, Javier Zanetti, Marco Materazzi and Jurgen Klinsmann.

After the match (which Inter's old boys won 2-1), some members of the touring party made the most of the early-summer sunshine by taking a boat trip along one of the rivers of the Norfolk Broads. The voyage began and ended at the Water's Edge, a 17th-century pub on the southern bank of the River Yare, a mile north of the village of Bramerton, and it was there that Inter's former stalwarts gathered to watch one of the most significant matches in the club's recent history.

Inter were away to Lazio on the final day of the Serie A season with a place in the Champions League at stake. In order to secure a seat at Europe's top table for the first time since 2012, Inter had to win. Any other result would send Lazio into the competition at their expense.

The score at the Stadio Olimpico was 2-2 and the game had entered the final 10 minutes when, in a red-brick side room at the Water's Edge, former Inter midfielder Nicola Berti leapt to his feet and started celebrating. He was on the phone to his 12-year-old son, Leonardo, who was watching on television in Italy and had just seen Matias Vecino score for Inter. The television stream in the Norfolk pub was a minute or so behind.

"Nicola Berti was on his phone and he said, 'We've scored!'" former Inter defender Massimo Paganin tells Bleacher Report.

"And we said, 'No, we haven't!' And he said, 'No, no, we've scored!' After a few moments Vecino scored, and we were all shouting. It was amazing, and really emotional, because we were all together."

Vecino scored in the 81st minute, rising at the near post to head home a corner from the right taken by Marcelo Brozovic. His goal earned Inter a 3-2 win and gave the club what Paganin describes as a "sliding doors moment." Champions League qualification eased Inter's financial fair play fears and moved majority shareholder Suning, the Chinese retail giant, to significantly strengthen the squad, with Radja Nainggolan, Stefan de Vrij, Kwadwo Asamoah and Matteo Politano among the players to arrive in the transfer window.

"They wouldn't have got players like that without Vecino's goal," says Aaron Deckers, a Dutch football journalist based in Milan. "It would have been a totally different season."

Crucially, Inter's Champions League return also enabled them to hold on to players like emblematic striker Mauro Icardi, whose heads might otherwise have been turned. Last Sunday, Icardi scored a stoppage-time winner in the derby against AC Milan to give Inter a seventh successive win in all competitions and move them up to third place in Serie A.

The Nerazzurri have not won so many consecutive games inside 90 minutes since a series of 10 straight victories from September to November 2012. But it is a run that very nearly never got going.

With five minutes remaining of their opening Champions League group game at home to Tottenham last month, Inter were 1-0 down and appeared to have run out of ideas, only for Icardi to thrash home a stunning volleyed equaliser from the edge of the box. Minutes later, Vecino (him again) nodded in a close-range injury-time winner.

Inter's transfer business had seen them talked up as potential challengers to Juventus' seven-year Serie A hegemony—"the anti-Juve"—but a disappointing start to the season put coach Luciano Spalletti under pressure. Inter lost 1-0 at Sassuolo on the season's opening weekend, drew 2-2 with Torino and then went down 1-0 at home to promoted Parma. The storm clouds grew blacker still when Christian Eriksen put Tottenham in front at San Siro, but Inter's comeback chased them away, and there have been blue skies overhead ever since.

"Everything changed in those five minutes against Tottenham," says Valerio Clari, a reporter from La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Inter went into the game after three bad results, and another bad result would have put Spalletti's work in jeopardy. Since then they've had this run of seven straight wins and you can see the team growing."

De Vrij and Asamoah gave the team a valuable injection of defensive know-how when they arrived, from Lazio and Juventus respectively, and only Sampdoria have conceded fewer goals in Serie A this term than the six shipped by Inter. In attack, the signings of Nainggolan (Inter's headline €38 million acquisition from Roma), Italian winger Politano, Senegal forward Keita Balde and Argentinian starlet Lautaro Martinez have eased the burden on Icardi and Ivan Perisic, who between them scored 40 of the 66 goals that the squad mustered last season. Spalletti has repeatedly emphasised the benefits of having a deeper squad, which has made it easier for him to rotate his team between Champions League matches.

With right-back Sime Vrsaljko's arrival on loan from Atletico Madrid to link up with compatriots Perisic and Brozovic, Inter now boast three members of the steely Croatia side that battled their way to the World Cup final. Luka Modric might not have joined his compatriots in Milan last summer, despite persistent speculation that linked him with a move away from Real Madrid, but the fact that he entered the conversation in the first place reinforced the sense that Inter were a club on an upward trajectory.

For his part, Spalletti has brought some much-needed stability and clear focus to Inter, who had gone through three permanent head coaches in 12 months (Roberto Mancini, Frank de Boer and Stefano Pioli) prior to appointing him in June 2017.

"The Italian word is 'grinta' [grit]. That's the main thing he brought to the players: professionalism and giving everything to win," says Deckers.

"He's made them a team and that's something that wasn't there at Inter before. In the last 20 years, they've always had great players, but many times they weren't a team. Spalletti is bringing it all together."

Inter have displayed greater mental resolve and physical stamina under Spalletti this season. They have come from behind to win in each of their two Champions League games to date—following up the 2-1 win over Tottenham with a 2-1 defeat of PSV Eindhoven—and have scored more goals in the last 15 minutes of their league matches than any other team in Serie A, per Opta Paolo. "It's happening too often now that we score crucial goals late on, so it's not a coincidence," Vecino said after the derby.

"It's not been easy, but Spalletti convinced all the players to believe in his project," says Paganin, who won the UEFA Cup with Inter in 1994. "When you believe in something, you believe until the end."

Inter Milan might just have had the best transfer window in Serie A 👀 pic.twitter.com/beQ2OXCNcQ

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 14, 2018

Inter's progress on the sporting front has been reflected off the pitch. The club's training base in Appiano Gentile is being given a facelift, and Suning successfully lobbied the city's local authorities to approve a renovation plan for the down-at-heel San Siro (having reportedly overcome resistance from co-tenants Milan in the process). Suning, which purchased a controlling 68.55 per cent stake in Inter in 2016, has also been working to increase the size of the club's global marketing footprint with a focus on Asia, in particular China, and South America.

"If you just judge them by their work, they're doing very good work because they took a club that was full of debt and now it's working," says Clari.

"They're not just investing money to service the debt, but they're trying to build a club that could work by itself. They're working on marketing, sponsorship and developing social media in other languages. They're trying to make Inter a global brand and a global club."

Starting a new week after bagging an injury-time winner in one of football's biggest derbies 💪

Mauro Icardi became only the second player in history to score five consecutive goals in the #DerbyDellaMadonnina after Milan's Amarildo in 1964-1966 ⚽️#MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/ZaYlZpWpOZ

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) October 22, 2018

Those who watch Inter closely accept that they are probably two or three years away from being able to compete for the title with Juventus. It will take even longer before Inter can dream of lifting the European Cup for the first time since 2010. But the forthcoming Champions League doubleheader with Group B leaders Barcelona, which kicks off at Camp Nou on Wednesday, will serve as an intriguing yardstick for how far they have come.

"As AC/DC sang, 'It's a long way to the top if you want to rock'n'roll,'" says Paganin. "It's the same in football. You have to work every day.

"Every building you want to build starts with the foundations, and the building can only be as big as its foundations. [Inter's owners] know exactly what they want to do. They've finished building the foundations. Now they're starting to build the building."

Inter Milan have reportedly failed to agree terms with star defender Milan Skriniar over a new contract amid rumours Manchester United and Manchester City are interested in the player.

According to Kaustubh Pandey of Calciomercato, despite holding contract negotiations with Skriniar three months ago, the Nerazzurri have made no progress since. United and City are said to have been alerted to the situation, although the 23-year-old Slovakian has a deal at the San Siro that runs until 2022.

Pandey added that "Inter are calm and are confident that the defender will sign the new contract until the summer of 2023."

Skriniar only signed for Inter in the summer of 2017 from Sampdoria and has made a major impact for the Nerazzurri, establishing himself as one of the standout defenders in Italian football.

United have been linked with a move for a new defender since the summer. According to Rob Dawson of ESPN, United boss Jose Mourinho will look to improve his central defensive options in January, with Skriniar and AC Milan's Alessio Romagnoli said to be on the Portuguese's list of targets.

When asked about the transfer speculation recently, the Slovakia international said he wouldn't let it hamper his focus at Inter.

"Yes, but I don't know if it's true," he said when asked about supposed interest from United, per Sport.sk (h/t Metro). "Personally, I don't know, as the transfer window has just shut, so it's hard for me to say anything. There was some noise in the summer, but nothing happened, so I'm not letting it bother me."

Inter will want to get an extension agreed as quickly as possible for Skriniar amid the swirling speculation. Scouted Football outlined how impressive he was on Sunday in the 1-0 win over rivals AC Milan: 

Milan Škriniar (23) completed more passes than and as many dribbles as any AC Milan player in the Derby della Madonnina.

• 81 passes attempted
• 77 passes completed

• 2 dribbles attempted
• 2 dribbles completed

⚫🔵 pic.twitter.com/0LXqY077uD

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) October 21, 2018

In addition to being excellent on the ball, Skriniar boasts tremendous defensive instincts too, making him a linchpin at the base of Luciano Spalletti's team.

Throughout his time at the San Siro, he's been forceful in the challenge and an intelligent decision-maker. At 23, he also still has a long way to go before reaching his peak.

When it comes to winning the ball back, there are few players in Serie A who can match him:

Most times possession won in the defensive third in Serie A this season

🥇M. Skriniar -- 180
🥈N. Nkoulou -- 162
🥉S. De Vrij -- 159https://t.co/x7C9pJR0Py pic.twitter.com/b4nRJGs5BL

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) May 24, 2018

United have struggled to keep things tight at the back so far this term, conceding 16 goals—three more than the combined number scored against the current top three of City, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Pep Guardiola's side don't appear to be in quite the same need when it comes to landing a defender, with John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Nicolas Otamendi and Vincent Kompany their current options. So far this season, they've conceded just three goals from their nine games.

Mauro Icardi has said he is "happy" at Inter Milan and hopes he will sign a new contract soon amid ongoing rumours linking him with the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea. 

As one of Europe's most consistent strikers it is no surprise he has been linked with a move away from the San Siro, but he has now made it clear his future lies at Inter, per Sky Italia (h/t Goal's Dejan Kalinic):

"I'm happy to stay here. There have been contacts, but I decided to stay here for myself and my family. I had the dream of playing in the Champions League in the Inter shirt and therefore I couldn't leave. We will try to find a renewal, but I don't know if it will arrive before Christmas."

Icardi's current Inter contract expires in 2021 and is reported to include a €110 million (£97 million) buyout clause for clubs outside of Italy, per Kalinic. 

That is an affordable price for a club like Real, particularly for a proven elite striker, which are few and far between.

Icardi, 25, joined Inter from Sampdoria in 2013 and has been the club's attacking talisman ever since, netting 103 Serie A goals in 165 appearances for the club.

Real look in desperate need of a new goalscorer having lost Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer and recently gone goalless in four consecutive matches.

Real Madrid have failed to score in four straight matches for the first time since 1985. pic.twitter.com/AmFs6Dee56

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 6, 2018

Former Real manager Fabio Capello believes the Argentinian could be the answer to Los Blancos' problems, per Squawka:

Fabio Capello on Mauro Icardi: "He is a specialist in the penalty area, as was Cristiano Ronaldo, and if you put three balls in the area he hits all three. If I were Real Madrid, I would sign him immediately." pic.twitter.com/buGpjNkpeI

— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) October 16, 2018

Meanwhile, despite having enjoyed a fine start to the new season under Maurizio Sarri, Chelsea are still lacking a top class No. 9 as Alvaro Morata has yet to totally convince at Stamford Bridge.

Should either Real or Chelsea decide to enter the market for a new front man in the January transfer window, Icardi would surely be a key target.

His latest comments will reassure Inter that he is committed to the club. But the Italian giants need to get Icardi committed to a new contract soon to ensure he does remain in Milan.