How Inter Might Use Zhang Kangyang's €50 Million "Surplus" After Loan Renewal: Two Paths to Sign Big-Name Players

As Inter Milan approaches their weekend clash against Lazio, the announcement regarding Steven Zhang’s loan renewal is expected. The primary shareholder of Inter has secured a €430 million loan from Pmico, which will be used to repay the €380 million principal and interest owed to Oaktree Capital, leaving approximately €50 million as a "surplus." This significant sum has quickly become a hot topic among Inter fans worldwide, with many speculating about its potential uses. Some hope it indicates a €50 million summer transfer budget, while others wonder if it will serve as the initial funding for a new stadium project.

La Gazzetta dello Sport, however, published an article suggesting that this €50 million won't be used in the transfer market or for acquiring a high-profile player. Instead, it’s more likely to be retained as a reserve fund to provide financial security against unexpected events. The logic here is straightforward: better safe than sorry. If Inter faces unforeseen financial challenges, like the cash flow disruptions experienced during the pandemic two years ago, relying on Zhang to secure funds from domestic sources would be unrealistic given Suning’s current business climate and national policy controls. Even resorting to emergency high-interest loans would be difficult, as Zhang has already pledged his Inter shares.

Under these circumstances, having a cash reserve at the holding company (Grand Tower) to cushion any potential shocks would give Inter some breathing room. The immediate issue is the end of the season and the impending summer transfer window, during which Inter’s executives—Marotta, Ausilio, and Baccin—urgently need to know what initial budget Zhang will set for them.

La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts that Inter's best-case scenario might be a zero-budget summer transfer window. There is even a possibility of starting with a negative budget. In short, it’s highly unlikely that the club's primary shareholder will inject funds to provide a positive transfer budget this summer.

Currently, Inter has completed two significant signings: Zielinski and Taremi. However, this is evidently insufficient, as the club has several pressing needs. For instance, replacements are needed for departing players, and Simone Inzaghi has made it clear that he wants all current forwards to stay and also aims to strengthen the forward line. Without funds from the owner to ensure a transfer budget, how will Inter navigate this situation?

The pink newspaper suggests two possible approaches. The first option is to sell a star player to raise funds. Names like Dumfries and Thuram, and even Lautaro, who has been linked with moves away every summer, are frequently mentioned in this context. However, these topics have been extensively discussed and won’t be reiterated here.

The second option involves "sacrificing" some of the promising young talents, similar to the Cesare Casadei story. La Gazzetta dello Sport elaborates on this, highlighting players like Valentin Carboni. Although highly regarded as a promising talent, Inter might choose to sell him if an offer of around €30 million comes in. Other young prospects like Satriano, Oristanio, Agoumé, the Esposito brothers, Zanotti, and the Stankovic brothers are also viewed as "gems" (tesoretto) by Inter’s managers. Those familiar with Inter's current financial situation and operational logic understand that this term can be translated as "need more money." If these young stars can be sold to generate funds, combined with tactics like loans with purchase options and extended payment periods, Inter might still be able to pursue some high-value players.

In this context, recent editions of La Gazzetta dello Sport maintain that signing a €60 million player like Zirkzee is unlikely for Inter. However, targets like Guðmundsson, Buongiorno, and Bento, although challenging, remain within the realm of possibility. Journalists like Di Marzio and Romano share similar views, indicating that Inter won't have a substantial transfer budget provided by the board this summer.

For Inter, achieving contract renewals for Inzaghi, Barella, and others, while ensuring the summer window doesn’t start with a negative budget, would already be an optimal scenario. Biasin’s statements capture the essence of the situation. When asked, "Would you be troubled if Conte managed AC Milan?" Biasin responded, "No, but I would be very troubled if Inzaghi were no longer managing Inter!" This discussion goes beyond comparing the two coaches' abilities; it's about their differing managerial philosophies. If Conte were in charge, he would demand substantial financial investments in strong players and would criticize the club for a lack of support if not provided. Essentially, hiring Conte would necessitate a significant transfer budget.

Biasin’s remarks reflect the current mindset of Inter fans: they don't expect Zhang to take out high-interest loans while using the €50 million "surplus" to buy star players. Instead, they hope that the Zhang-Marotta-Inzaghi combination will continue their survival philosophy from the past two years, making the most out of limited resources and managing the club prudently.