Inter's future bright under Inzaghi but off-field uncertainty reigns

Inter Milan are flying high after sealing the Serie A title by winning the Milan derby but off-field uncertainty is still the order of the day for the new Italian champions.

Last season's run to the Champions League final looked like a one-off for Inter, one of Europe's grand clubs who like much of the continent's football royalty have to deal with a huge resource gap to the Premier League and state-backed clubs like Paris Saint-Germain.

And their situation off the field is yet to fully stabilise even as they receive a second star on their jersey for their 20th league crown.

Hanging over Inter for the past three years has been an emergency loan taken out with investment fund Oaktree, which must be paid in full next month and after interest reportedly amounts to between 375-380 million euros.

That loan – whose exact figure Inter would not confirm to AFP – had been taken out in 2021 as Inter and other Italian clubs were hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Oaktree can, much like Elliott did with Milan in 2018, take control of Inter should that loan either be not repayed or refinanced by Inter's Chinese owners Suning.

Inter president Steven Zhang appeared bullish at Sunday's Formula One Chinese Grand Prix, strongly hinting that come the summer he will still be president.

"Every day there are rumours (about Suning selling)... What I can say is that we will continue to fight, continue to win," said Zhang to Sky Sport on the paddock at the Shanghai International Circuit.

"None of the rumours are true. As long as I'm the president, as long as I'm the owner we're going to continue to win."

NEW DEAL

Zhang was not in Milan for – Champions League final aside – the biggest game of Suning's near eight-year reign as owners, and in fact hasn't