Internazionale have been in the wilderness for too long. A storied, historic club that won the UEFA Champions League as recently as 2010, it’s difficult to see them floundering in Serie A midtable—unless you’re an AC Milan fan, of course.

The Nerazzurri are on their seventh manager since the departure of Jose Mourinho—the man who won that famous European title five years ago—with no appointment spanning longer than 12 months. Gian Piero Gasperini and Andrea Stramaccioni were especially harmful choices by former club president Massimo Moratti and Co.

The club’s Serie A finishing positions post-2011 have been sixth, ninth, fifth and most recently eighth, in 2014-15. While Juventus have taken the division by storm and returned to Europe’s elite, Roma have established themselves as the second-best side in the division and Napoli have risen to the fore, Inter have dropped into the depths of mediocrity.

But the hope is that’s about to change, and there are two chief reasons for this.

First, Roberto Mancini has taken the reins at San Siro again. The Italian enjoyed a particularly successful spell with the club between 2004 and 2008, winning three Scudettos, two Coppa Italias, and two Supercoppas, and since then he has produced silverware-attaining seasons with Manchester City and Galatasaray. He may still seem unable to negotiate European nights under the lights, but he’s damn effective in the league.

And second, an injection of cash from club president Erick Thohir has allowed them to spend big in the market and introduce true quality to the squad for the first time in years; gone are the expensive, old hangovers from the Mourinho era, and in come younger, brighter talents.

As we sit on the cusp of the 2015-16 campaign, B/R runs the rule over Inter and dissects what appears to be a re-emerging force on the peninsula. It’d be good for the game and great for Serie A if Inter were to return to the heights the fans demand.

 

1. The Changes

Inter have been busy in the market and settled a number of key deals swiftly, signalling their intent to drastically improve this season.

The marquee signing is £25 million man Geoffrey Kondogbia from Monaco, a powerful French midfielder who, while hardly Paul Pogba, has outrageous upside and stands a day-one starter and upgrade. The club acquired Jeison Murillo and Miranda to revamp central defence, Martin Montoya has been loaned in to play right-back and Stevan Jovetic will join Mauro Icardi in attack this season.

A lot of players have exited as a result; Zdravko Kuzmanovic, Marco Benassi, Hugo Campagnaro, Jonathan, Joel Obi and Ruben Botta have all sought pastures new.

Every listed incoming player is a top (or soon-to-be top) performer, while every listed departure is a sigh of relief from both a quality and wage-bill standpoint. Inter have bought big and bought well, but they’ve pruned efficiently, too.

It leaves the depth at an ideal level—not so crammed that Mancini has more men than oars, but that the Italian tactician has the opportunity to bring youth into the equation without having to rely on it when push comes to shove.

 

2. Dance with a Diamond?

Although Inter fans are likely less assured at this stage, keep in mind that pre-season results mean nothing. It’s a fitness programme with matches open to the public involved, and because the money’s so good they play them anywhere from Los Angeles to Shanghai, rather than behind closed doors.

Mancini’s men lost every pre-season game of note, turning in some iffy showings in the International Champions Cup. A 1-0 loss to Milan was only decided by a Philippe Mexes golazo, but the Nerazzurri were outclassed by Real Madrid.

Again, results-wise, this doesn’t really matter, but what you can glean from the summer schedule are tactical nuances and intentions. It’s a time to experiment, but many managers also show their hand—Mancini trialled a 3-5-2 in pre-season with City once, then used it to good effect over the course of half a Premier League campaign.

Inter have danced with a 4-4-2 diamond this summer, and while the results weren’t great, the film shows promise. Bar perhaps one position, they look well set, and the personnel Mancini has collected suits the system.

A diamond, inherently narrow due to a lack of wingers, must find width from its full-backs, and Montoya is perfectly capable of holding the width on the right, keeping possession and progressing forward.

Things are far less certain on the opposite flank—”We need a left-back,” admitted Mancini last week following defeat to Galatasaray, per Football Italia—but Davide Santon is an option until they can find a player.

Mateo Kovacic appears to be yet another manager’s favourite as the regista, and his performances show real growth. Not only does he dictate play and keep the ball with consummate ease now, but he also shuttles forward, takes markers on and opens up the pitch.

The energy of Kondogbia and Marcelo Brozovic in the box-to-box roles, in addition to the freshness of impressive youngster Assane Gnoukouri, have given this formation a good tempo in pre-season. Mauro Icardi presses from the front, Hernanes (in the hole) follows suit and the midfield three span out to cover the gaps:

The acquisition of Jovetic is a good one, and should he rekindle his own form and find fitness, he’d be the perfect partner for Icardi in the diamond. The former is a deep-lying forward, happy to drop in and create, while the latter is a pure No. 9 interested in running the channels and stretching the pitch. It’d be very Carlos Tevez-Alvaro Morata—balanced and lethal.

 

3. Or Revert to 4-3-3?

Inter dabbled with the diamond last season, too, but Mancini’s chopping and changing was so ferocious no system really became a consistent option. While a back three is forever on the cards given the man in charge, some Italian aficionados expect the club to settle into a 4-3-3 look following the culmination of a topsy-turvy summer.

That would change very little in the defensive and midfield lines; Kovacic, two box-to-box companions and a flat back four would still be in play. Montoya and his plus-one wouldn’t be quite so heavily relied upon to create width in attack so high up, but the roles would largely remain the same.

Up top, though, it would see Icardi line up as a lone striker and Jovetic pushed wide. Xherdan Shaqiri, whom Inter seem to be trying to get rid of, could come back in for a key role on the opposite flank. The club also picked up winger Jonathan Biabiany on a free transfer this summer, while Rodrigo Palacio could shift wide at a push.

But given the remarkable number of central players Inter employ—we’ve spoken about five, yet we’re still to discuss any possible roles for Gary Medel and Fredy Guarin—surely it would be better to adopt the 4-4-2 and settle in one shape?

It’s rare to see a collection of central midfielders so inclined to play the diamond. Kovacic is the regista, but they have cover, and the energy is there to bring the ball out from the back without high width. Hernanes can be a firecracker from the No. 10 role when on form. Shaqiri could even rotate with him; he’s shown for Switzerland he can be devastating when made the “main main” of the team.

 

Projection

Inter have spent a fair chunk of money this summer (more than €60 million), but the overhaul has long been overdue. In order to make up the considerable ground between themselves and the Champions League pack in Serie A, they’ll need a tactical oddity or nuance to make them tough to play.

A fresh look with fresh players in a diamond could be just the ticket, though some final adjustments would need to be made.

Juan Jesus cannot be considered an answer at left-back—particularly in a diamond, where he would at times be the sole width on the left—and links to Domenico Criscito, as reported by Sky Sport Italia (via Football Italia), are encouraging. There may also be a need for depth on the right if all of Inter’s full-backs are sold.

But the groundwork is there, and the quality is there. Samir Handanovic, Miranda, Kovacic, Kondogbia, Jovetic, Icardi? That’s a spine many managers would consider chopping off limbs for.

For the first time in four years, Inter have a legitimate shot of breaching back into Italy’s elite—the first step on a long road to recovering their global standing in the game.

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