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Among the few true heavyweights in European football, Inter Milan are still a force to be reckoned with. The Italian club may have lost some of its past glory, but they're on an upward track.
Inter enjoyed a successful Serie A campaign last term, winning the title, and seem to be on the right path once again. While they may not have the best group of players globally, the Nerazzurri still have some game-changers in their ranks.
Inter Milan have also sold players they shouldn't have
Last summer, the duo of Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi exited the Italian club to pursue their future elsewhere. While Inter Milan did receive favorable sums for both, fans felt they shouldn't have been allowed to leave.
Lukaku and Hakimi's sales are not isolated incidents as the club have sold talented footballers in the past and have seen them play brilliantly for other clubs. Here are five such players Inter shouldn't have sold:
#5 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Given the number of clubs he has played for, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's transfer from Inter Milan to Barcelona in 2009 seems like yet another regular big-money move. However, this is the only transfer on this list where Inter Milan may have even profited in part. In return, they got Samuel Eto'o from the Catalans and he was instrumental in their historic 2009-10 treble win.
But there are still strong reasons to claim that Inter should have kept hold of the Swedish superstar. Ibrahimovic was in his prime back then and could dominate opponents independently. He was equally good in the air and on the ground, and based on his stint at Manchester United, Ibrahimovic could have found success under Jose Mourinho.
While Ibrahimovic's Inter exit was premature, he still left a lasting legacy of what more he could have achieved. He wore the Nerazzurri jersey 117 times and had 98 goal contributions, including 66 goals and 32 assists.
#4 Ronaldo Nazario
Many forwards have graced the football game, but few can consider themselves on the same level as Ronaldo Nazario. After bursting onto the scene, Ronaldo took the world by storm, and there were crazy demands for his service. When Inter Milan managed to acquire him for a then-world record fee of around £27 million, fans were understandably ecstatic.
However, the Brazilian's spell in Italy was a mixed bag. He won the Ballon d'Or during his stint with the Serie A giants but was plagued by injuries that shortened his stay. However, many fans wanted him to continue at the club based on his performances previously for Barcelona, and they had a case.
Ronaldo scored 59 goals in 99 appearances for Inter Milan, despite injuries ruining the second half of his stay in Milan. But his 103 goals for Real Madrid after departing Inter proved that the club should have kept him, though they made a profit on his transfer fee.
#3 Mateo Kovacic
Financial mismanagement has plagued Inter Milan several times in their history, resulting in the sale of important players to balance the books. This, for example, resulted in the sale of Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi last summer and that of Mateo Kovacic in the past.
Kovacic was acquired from Dinamo Zagreb in 2013 after his impressive spell in Croatia as a teenager. He was widely regarded as an incredible talent, and Inter considered his signing a coup.
Kovacic took some time to settle down but quickly showed the world what he was made of. Given his performances, Inter even renewed his contract until 2019.
However, Inter's precarious financial position meant they were desperate to balance the books and Kovacic was their most valuable trade asset. Despite making a hefty profit, both the club and fans were unhappy to see him leave to join Real Madrid in 2015.
Nevertheless, Kovacic has become an incredible player, as many touted him to become, with his current club Chelsea.
#2 Nicolo Zaniolo
Inter Milan fans have regretted the premature sales of many footballers, but Nicolo Zaniolo's could come back to haunt them in the future.
Inter have had many talented midfielders in their ranks over the years and Zaniolo seems to be one of the most special players of the lot. Despite the early injuries he suffered at Roma, he has looked a class apart, and many consider him to be an integral part of the Italian national setup in the near future.
The talented midfielder is extremely creative and boasts incredible vision as well. Zaniolo can play in several positions but excels in attacking midfield and has already become an important part of Roma's first-team setup.
It's even more amazing to think that Inter used him as a bargaining chip to acquire Radja Nainggolan. While Nainggolan served his purpose at Inter Milan, it was never a great idea to trade a young prodigy for a veteran. Nainggolan has since left Inter Milan, while Zaniolo has become a star in his own right.
#1 Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho's stock may have gone down following a failed transfer to Barcelona, but few can debate his performances for Liverpool. While his exploits on Merseyside are what he is defined by today, Coutinho started at Inter Milan, and it was in Italy where the world first noticed him.
Inter were Coutinho's first European club, but the Brazilian couldn't quite weave his magic in Italy. He pieced together flashes of brilliance but was never consistent enough. A loan spell to Espanyol didn't help things much, and he remained a fringe player before Liverpool made a move for him.
Everybody today knows just what a special player Coutinho became at Liverpool. For Inter Milan, it was once again a case of prematurely giving up on a young footballer whom they should have kept instead.
