In an interview with Italian radio station Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli, former Inter president and owner Massimo Moratti has revealed he always wanted to bring Marek Hamsik to Inter.

“When I was at Inter I liked Marek Hamsik a lot. I wanted him when he played for Brescia,” he began the interview which was took place yesterday afternoon.

“He was a footballer I wanted to bring to the Nerazzurri but Aurelio De Laurentiis took him to Napoli. When he was at Napoli I called the president, but he didn’t want to give him to me, I then gave up. De Laurentiis did well to hold on tight to him.”

Moratti then went on to sing the praises of current Inter president Steven Zhang and Inter manager Antonio Conte.

“I think Zhang and Conte can be the winning figures. The owners have ambition and a desire to win, beyond the passion that comes when you are involved. Bringing in Conte was important because he has the right character.”

Next Moratti discussed Dries Mertens, who was reportedly close to joining Inter before performing a u-turn to sign a contract extension with Napoli.

“I would have been pleased to see him in the Nerazzurri, he would have been the best player to put alongside Lukaku next season, but De Laurentiis did well to keep a hold of him.”

Moratti then spoke briefly on the situation of Inter striker Lautaro Martinez, who continues to be linked with a potential move to Barcelona ahead of the upcoming transfer window: “I don’t know what will happen, but I think that a solution will be reached shortly.”

In conclusion Moratti paid tribute to former Inter manager Luigi ‘Gigi’ Simoni who recently passed away aged 81 following a long battle with illness.

“He is a person to whom I became sincerely attached to, his loss is a big blow. He was a generous man.”

Moratti purchased a controlling stake in Inter in 1995 and was the club’s majority shareholder up until 2013. He sold his remaining shares as part of Suning’s takeover of Inter in 2016.

The post Ex-Inter Owner Moratti On Lautaro Martinez’s Future: “Don’t Know What’ll Happen” appeared first on Sempreinter.

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