A man who has worked for two of Italy's largest clubs has revealed his behind-the-scenes deals.
Former Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta, who now works for Inter, has been speaking about his alleged opposition to Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer to Turin, a shocking transfer involving Paul Pogba, and speculation that Lionel Messi could wind up at San Siro.
A high-profile boardroom figure has dealt with some of the best players on the planet while working behind the scenes at two of Italy's biggest teams.
He's been involved in deals with a five-time Ballon d'Or winner from Portugal and a World Cup-winning France international midfielder, while his present employers have been associated with a famous Argentine throughout the years.
The 65-year-old, who spent eight years with Juventus before joining Inter, was rumored to have been against the Bianconeri signing Ronaldo from Real Madrid just months before his departure in 2018, but Marotta denies this.
He confirmed to DAZN that he was not interested in an older all-time great being snatched up.
"It is obvious that when buying a player, you must conduct a 360-degree examination, both from a balance sheet, economic and financial standpoint, and from a sporting standpoint."
"I've come to my own conclusions." When it is said that there have been disagreements over this operation, it is pure folklore. It is true that there is a difference of opinion in a managerial setting."
Marotta's career has seen him involved in a number of high-profile moves that have seen household names join or leave the club he was working for at the time.
Despite having many deals to choose from, he considers Juventus' acquisition and sale of Paul Pogba to be his best business deal, as the enigmatic French midfielder was signed as a free agent in 2012 and sold to Manchester United four years later for a record-breaking €110 million (£92 million/$115 million).
"If we consider the outward and back journeys, how someone arrived and how it proceeded, obviously it has to be Pogba," Marotta remarked when asked about his best transfer work.
He arrived for free and we sold him for 110 million to the same club. It's a one-of-a-kind situation in the world of football."
Marotta, who previously worked with Ronaldo at Juventus, is now focused on attracting the greatest talent possible to Inter.
Messi, a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, has been linked with a move to the Nerazzurri in the past, but such rumors have diminished with his 2021 departure from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain.
That ship appears to have gone, with Marotta eager to stay out of a debate that has little to do with his rule.
"They told me about this possibility," he said of the regular links to Messi in Milan. "But it is not something that concerns my management, but the Inter of the past."
Inter are currently focused on beating arch-rivals AC Milan to the Serie A title in 2021-22, with only two points separating the two teams entering into the final round of fixtures.
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