Inter President Erick Thohir has reportedly halted contract negotiations with all players until February or March next year.
The Nerazzurri were understood to be in extension talks with both Fredy Guarin and Samir Handanovic, but the duo, and all players whose current deals expire in 2014 and 2015, are in limbo until next spring.
Whilst this is seen to be at Thohir’s request to properly assess the playing squad he has inherited, it leaves Inter with very little time to reach an agreement with players whose deal expire at the end of this season or next season.
According to Transfermarket.co.uk Inter have eight players out of contract at the end of the season. They are:
- Wallace
- Esteban Cambiasso
- Rolando (buying option)
- McDonald Mariga
- Diego Milito
- Cristian Chivu
- Gaby Mudingayi
- Walter Samuel
- Javier Zanetti
- Luca Castellazzi
With Milito reportedly heading back to Argentina, I would expect that Inter would want to sign Cambiasso, Zanetti, Samuel and Rolando to new deals. Wallace is only 19, so letting him leave for free makes no sense either. Cambiasso has been one of Inter’s best players this season and come 1 January he is free to talk to other teams outside of Italy. If Inter wait the spring, will they be able to sign these players to new deals before they leave on Bosman’s at the end of the season?
Looking ahead to players whose contracts end in 2015, that list includes:
- Andrea Ranocchia
- Rodrigo Palacio
- Hugo Campagnaro
- Jonathan
- Juan Pablo Carrizo
- Patrick Olsen
Decisions and contract talks for these players need to be addressed soon, because if Inter cannot reach an agreement with them by the end of the summer, they will have to be sold as Inter cannot afford to see the likes of Ranocchia and Palacio leave on Bosman’s in 2015. That is over 25 million euros worth of talent just with those two.
I can understand Thohir’s stance that he wants to reassess the playing staff before he approves new deals, although part of me wonders how we is going to decide on whether to sign the likes of Gaby Mudingayi to a new deal. Hasn’t someone on the director of football side already made that decision?
On the other hand owning a football club is not like owning any other business. Your assets are the players, and you cannot afford to let good players walk away for free, especially with Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules now in effect. Delaying important decisions until potentially March I feel just puts Inter in a difficult positions when it comes to contract negotiations with these players.
