It seemed a certainty that Dutch star Wesley Sneijder would leave Inter Milan this month, but his proposed transfer to the Premier League is running into a snag over Sneijder’s high wage demands.
Reports out of the UK say that both Inter approached both Arsenal and Chelsea about taking the 28-year-old midfielder, but they both turned down the offer after hearing that Sneijder wanted wages of £200,000-a-week. It was Sneijder’s high wage demands that killed his £30m proposed move to Manchester United 18 months ago.
Since the end of last season, Inter have been desperate to lower their wage bill in order to comply with Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules. They got rid of most of their high wage earners like Lucio, Julio Cesar and Diego Forlan over the summer, and they asked Sneijder to take a £1.6m pay cut. Sneijder said no, and has not played for Inter in over three months.
So what happens if Sneijder cannot be sold? I am sure that Inter planed on him leaving this month, and that the transfer funds for Sneijder would be used to bring in some new players. But if Sneijder stays, what does that do to Inter’s January transfer budget? Does it go away?
Also, if Inter cannot sell Sneijder, and if he doesn’t give in to the club’s demands that he lower his current wages, will Inter be forced to sell other players then in order to bring their current wage bill down?
Do you think we will see Wesley Sneijder in an Inter shirt again or will he be playing in the Premier League come 1 February?
