Inter Milan's Dual Battles Heat Up: Steven Zhang Races Against Time, Executive's Comment Sparks Lautaro Debate

Currently, Inter Milan is at the center of two highly scrutinized battles. The first involves a three-way struggle between Steven Zhang, Oak Tree Capital, and Pmico. This issue has dominated the front pages of major sports newspapers like Gazzetta dello Sport for days, causing considerable anxiety among fans, who eagerly seek reliable updates. Experience suggests turning to trusted sources like ANSA, rather than less credible ones such as Il Messaggero, for accurate information. To draw a parallel, if one seeks to understand the complexities of the South China Sea dispute, it's best not to rely on sources like BBC or CNN.

According to ANSA, Steven Zhang and Pmico have already reached an agreement on financing, with the parties now finalizing the details. However, Oak Tree Capital is unwilling to exit the scene. On one hand, they are optimistic about Inter's future prospects and reluctant to forgo the lucrative 12% interest rate, aiming to capitalize on the club's equity. On the other hand, they are apprehensive about the Zhang family's ability to repay the loan and are unwilling to extend the loan under current terms. They seek to raise the interest rate, shorten the loan period, and impose various conditions, a classic case of wanting it both ways. The current three-way struggle can be summarized as Oak Tree Capital making every effort to hinder Steven Zhang’s financing from Pmico. Various perspectives suggest that this obstruction will only delay the official announcement; Zhang is not overly concerned and remains confident in resolving the issue.

However, as highlighted in a special program by Sky Italia, the primary concern now is time. With only 3-4 days left until the loan matures, including weekends, time is the most significant hurdle.

The second battle revolves around the controversy over Lautaro Martinez's contract renewal. A few weeks ago, Gazzetta dello Sport reported that negotiations for Lautaro’s renewal had reached an agreement. In hindsight, this might have been overly optimistic. For weeks, Il Messaggero has sensationalized claims that the negotiations have completely broken down, but this appears to be exaggerated. What is the true status of Lautaro's negotiations? The most reliable sources are direct statements from Marotta and Lautaro themselves.

Yesterday, during an award ceremony, both Lautaro and Marotta addressed the issue directly. Lautaro expressed gratitude to Inter for their significant support and expressed his desire to continue with the club. When asked about the renewal, Lautaro immediately said, “You should ask Marotta,” and added, “We are working on the renewal; I hope to reach an agreement with the club.” Marotta stated, “Lautaro's situation? The answer has been given; he said it depends on us, on me and Piero (Ausilio). There have never been any issues between us and our players because we have a shared desire to move forward together and hope to reach an agreement.”

Marotta also commented during the event, “Obviously, the players are the protagonists on the field. But in my experience, I have never seen a team win on the field without a strong management behind them.” This statement wasn’t directed at Lautaro and wasn’t intended as a threat, but it sparked significant discussion and garnered many likes on social media. Many Inter fans emphasized that as long as the management continues to work hard, the team will thrive regardless of individual players.

From these statements, three conclusions can be drawn. First, Lautaro and Inter have not yet reached an agreement; Lautaro’s demands exceed Inter’s current offer, and the negotiations are at a stage where Lautaro’s team has made a proposal, but Inter has yet to respond positively. Second, the reports from the capital's media about the negotiations breaking down are unreliable; the negotiations are challenging but ongoing. Third, both sides hope to reach an agreement, but if it becomes impossible, the Inter management will not be left helpless or disoriented. The core issue can be summarized in one word: money.

Reviewing Marotta’s statements over the past six months regarding Lautaro, one can detect subtle shifts in the club’s stance. In October last year, Marotta said, “We want to renew with Lautaro. If a player turns down many other top clubs and only wants to stay, that would be great.” At that time, Marotta didn’t see the renewal as particularly difficult and aimed to make Lautaro a symbol of loyalty akin to Zanetti. In January this year, Marotta stated, “Lautaro's renewal is like Inzaghi's; we are confident we can move forward together.” By March, Marotta’s tone was, “We hope Lautaro renews and stays; he hopes so too, which is crucial. Renewing needs to be done at the right time; we are not in a rush.” By May, Marotta began saying, “Players are the protagonists, but winning teams must have strong management.”

This evolution in statements clearly indicates that Inter is encountering difficulties in renewing Lautaro's contract, and the club’s confidence seems to be waning.

In summary, the renewal negotiations with Lautaro Martinez are ongoing, and there is still a tangible possibility of reaching an agreement. However, the trend shows that Inter’s stance is becoming clearer: the club will not make endless, unconditional compromises during the renewal process. For the current Inter, as long as the management remains robust, the team will continue to thrive, regardless of individual players.