Inzaghi's Saudi deal sparks fury at Inter Milan: months-old agreement revealed

The CEO of Al Hilal confirmed to the BBC that Simone Inzaghi had agreed to join the Saudi club well before the Champions League final, causing anger within Inter Milan

After Calzada’s revelations, questions, doubts, and suspicions arise. How long had Inzaghi been committed to the Saudis?

Statements made by Al Hilal’s CEO to the BBC about the deal with Simone Inzaghi drastically change how the coach’s decision is perceived: the Saudi executive revealed that the agreement with Inzaghi had been in place for months, meaning the decision didn’t come after the final in Munich. And Inter Milan is quite irritated by this, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport via Fcinter1908:

"At stake wasn’t just the Champions League, the glory, the history. It was also the club’s image. One that Inter Milan risked losing, along with the final against PSG, from which they emerged in pieces. 

Just like Simone Inzaghi, after the official confirmation that yes, his move to Saudi Arabia was planned long before May 31. This revelation has left Inter Milan visibly frustrated.

Final collapse in Munich: was the team distracted by Inzaghi's future?

The mission to Munich quickly turned into a disaster. Lautaro, Bastoni and teammates keep saying they can't understand the reason behind that collapse. 

But when revisiting the words of Esteve Calzada, CEO of Al Hilal, who confirmed to the BBC that the agreement with Inzaghi was already done before the final — albeit unsigned — maybe the disastrous performance starts to make a bit more sense.

What is certain is that the Al Hilal CEO’s words (verbatim: “It was all agreed, but not signed before the final”) have infuriated not only the Nerazzurri fans but also the club itself. 

Heading into the most important match in recent history with external ‘proposals’ — or more accurately, signed agreements — cannot have gone unnoticed within the squad.

The club feels deceived, especially since Inzaghi’s renewal was practically ready to be signed, and even at the moment of farewell, President Marotta spoke of a “mutual decision,” thanking the coach for his work in heartfelt terms.

Now, however, after Calzada's statements, questions and doubts emerge. How long had Inzaghi been committed to the Saudis? Had he already informed the squad before the final that he would leave after Munich? 

If so, it would be deeply concerning to have planted such thoughts in the players' minds ahead of the PSG clash. 

Even more so if it’s true that he attempted to lure Barella and Bastoni — players who have never shown even the slightest interest in the Saudi Pro League — with multi-million offers like his own, reportedly leading Inter Milan's management to negotiate a “non-aggression pact” to avoid losing them.

These are questions and doubts that will likely never receive clear answers. But one thing is certain: Inter Milan is furious.