AS Inter took on Torino on Sunday, the biggest news wasn’t that they changed formation, or even that they ultimately lost at the Stadio Olimpico in a tough encounter with the resilient Granata. While switching to 3-5-2 and then being beaten by a Walter Mazzarri side far better versed in the nuances of that set up would normally see questions about Luciano Spalletti dominate Italy’s sports papers, instead it was Ivan Perisic’s name making the headlines.
Sat on the freezing bench alongside his coach, the Croatian winger never even warmed up on the touchline as his future now almost certainly lies away from the Nerazzurri. Before the game, rumours of a possible move to Arsenal began to surface, and many of those reports insisted that Inter would not stand in his way.
La Gazzetta dello Sport dubbed him “Ivan The Sellable” after their reporter Davide Stoppini learnt that the Milanese giants had indeed changed their stance regarding the 29-year-old. They had previously refused any approach for Perisic, with the player himself revealing he had turned down an opportunity to join Manchester United over the summer.
.@Gazzetta_it are on good form with their headlines this morning.
1) is “Ivan the Sellable” after reports Croatia World Cup hero Ivan Perisic could be allowed to leave Inter (which is crazy btw) pic.twitter.com/iXDQRz1UCW
— Chloe Beresford (@ChloeJBeresford) January 27, 2019
“It’s true that an offer from Manchester United was on the table – I was really close to leaving Inter,” he told FourFourTwo magazine just last month. “When you’re praised by a guy like [Jose] Mourinho – the manager of a huge club like Man United – it’s difficult not to think about such an offer. I’m glad he has a high opinion of me. These things motivate me to work and train hard, to achieve the best performances.”
He has certainly delivered those in 140 appearances for Inter, weighing in with 34 goals and 19 assists, while largely playing in ineffective, inconsistent and disjointed teams. The Nerazzurri have finished fourth, seventh and fourth in his three seasons at the club, while Spalletti is the fifth different coach to lead Inter since Perisic arrived from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2015.
With the club also undergoing a change of ownership, the Croatian winger is one of only seven players – alongside Mauro Icardi, Marcelo Brozovic, Danilo D’Ambrosio, João Miranda, Samir Handanović and backup goalkeeper Tommaso Berni – to still be wearing the black and blue stripes just three-and-a-half seasons later.
Sounds like they’re open to a deal, which is a start https://t.co/NoVL8eC22F
— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) January 27, 2019
Of that group, arguably only Perisic and Icardi have consistently been effective, the winger proving to be a perfect foil for the club Captain and a vital cog in helping him score the goals that have kept Inter afloat amid all that chaos.
It seems now however, with Inter once again way off the pace in Serie A and already out of the Champions League they fought so hard to qualify for, that he has decided it is time to move on. “We listened to the player and he has the desire to leave,” Inter director Beppe Marotta told Sky Italia when was asked about the situation this weekend. “We want to make him happy, but also have to consider what is best for us.”
“So far, no suitable offers have arrived, so we will wait,” he added. “But when a player is fair and tells us his mental state and what he wants, we will always listen. After that, it’s an issue of looking after the club’s financial interests.”
The former Juventus official has always been very careful with the words he chooses, and the phrase “no suitable offers” is perhaps the biggest takeaway from that interview. According to a number of sources, Perisic has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal, with most reports believing he will earn earn €3 million (net) until June, before signing a four-year contract until 2022, where he would earn an annual salary of €6.5million if the switch was made permanent.
#Arsenal offered €4M loan + €40M buy option for Ivan #Perisic. But #Inter have refused because only want to sell Perisic with a permanent deal or obligation to buy. #AFC #Arsenal #transfers
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 27, 2019
That would be just under £110,000 a week, but the sticking point seems to be how the deal will benefit Inter. Transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio believes that the Premier League club have offered to pay €5 million to loan Perisic until end of the season, then seeking an option to buy him outright in the summer set at €40 million. However, the same reporter understands that the Nerazzurri have turned down this proposal and are currently only interested in concluding a permanent sale this month.
Spalletti appeared to confirm that on Sunday, using his post-match interview to make his position on the matter clear and insist he has no issue in continuing to leave the player on the sidelines until the situation is resolved.
“It’s quite simple. Players can say what they want, but they are employees, they have signed contracts and in order to leave, they need someone to be willing to pay for them,” the coach told Sky Italia. “You can’t leave for free and with your salary paid by someone else. If, as Marotta said, he doesn’t want to play, then clearly he’ll be left out. That’s not a problem for me as someone who cannot contribute to the team has to stay away.”
With Thursday’s transfer deadline fast approaching, it is likely to end quickly. Arsenal are left with few options to get the deal over the line, with an inflated loan fee, strict parameters – based on appearances, goals or a top four finish – for making the deal permanent, or simply paying what Inter demand as the only real solutions.
The Nerazzurri will probably need to sacrifice one of their better players to ensure they comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations this summer, and it makes sense for that to be a man who clearly has his eye on the exit.
For Arsenal, if they do indeed manage to prise Perisic away from San Siro and revive a player who – as he proved at last summer’s World Cup – is as tenacious, decisive and hard working as any winger in Europe, it would provide a much-needed boost to Unai Emery’s Champions League aspirations.
But whatever happens, Inter certainly cannot afford to leave Ivan “The Sellable” sitting on the bench for too much longer.
