When Moratti received the list that Li Ang gave him, he was shocked.
He looked at who was on Li Ang's list.
Fontana and Carlini were on the goalkeeper position.
Mihajlovic, Potenza, Zemaria, Gamara, and Coco were on the back line.
Davies, Zanetti, Emre, van der Maide, Karagounis, and Gigli González were on the midfield position.
Vieri, Martins, Chotos, and Recoba were on the frontline.
A total of seventeen players!
Among them were Recoba, Moratti's godson, and Vieri. There was also Martins, who was previously known as Inter Milan's striker for the next ten years.
Van der Maide, Emre, and other players in the midfield were also brought in by Moratti because he liked them very much.
Coco, Mihajlovic, and other "important players" were also on the defensive line.
*****
Then, the shocked Moratti called Li Ang. The Inter Milan boss could hear the shock in his voice. "Are you going to sell these players, Li?"
"Yes, sir. These players are not in my plans."
Moratti was silent. Inter Milan's first team had a total of thirty players, and Li Ang had purged more than half of the players in one go.
This almost meant that Inter Milan was going to have a big change in the team this summer.
Inter Milan did often spend a lot of money on signings and sales. Moratti liked this player this year and that player next year. However, he had never purged the players as thoroughly as Li Ang did. Although Li Ang had stated during the contract negotiations that he wanted to purge the players, and this was approved by Moratti, Moratti did not expect Li Ang to make such a big move.
"Do you want to be more cautious, Li? Will this cause a shock?" Moratti asked worriedly.
"It's time for Inter Milan to change," Li Ang said. "Those players are not in my plan, and they don't suit my tactics."
Moratti was silent when he heard Li Ang's determination. He had agreed to hand over the transfer rights to Li Ang. However, he had never dreamt that Li Ang would take such a risk and eliminate more than half of the team.
"But where are we going to find players to add to our squad?" Moratti asked.
"Sir, this is what I have to do for the next two months," Li Ang said.
Moratti was silent for a while. He was a very humane boss who treated the players well. It was difficult for him to accept such a 'cold-blooded' purge.
*****
At this moment, Li Ang's words made him make up his mind.
"Sir, Inter Milan needs champions, fresh blood, and the cornerstone of a dynasty. A major operation is necessary," Li Ang said. "We are on the way to becoming champions."
Moratti finally nodded when he thought of the miracle Li Ang had created at Sporting de Gijón. He thought of Li Ang's excellent eye for players, especially when he had agreed to hand over the transfer rights to Li Ang.
"Alright, but Lei Koba …" Moratti said. He really liked Lei Koba.
"The Uruguayan's salary is too high. He has always been injured. Moreover, he doesn't meet my tactical requirements." Li Ang said firmly. Recoba was the focus of the purge list. Li Ang used him to test Moratti. He had to use a firm attitude to express his control over the transfer rights.
Moreover, Li Ang was right. Recoba did not fit his tactics. He admitted that the Uruguayan was indeed talented. However, Recoba almost never returned to defend on the field. Many managers disliked Recoba because of this. However, the Uruguayan still did things his way. He believed that his talent was used for offense. Defense had nothing to do with him. A big reason for this was Moratti's love for Recoba, which gave Recoba the confidence to resist the manager's demands.
From a player's point of view, Recoba might not be wrong. He believed that focusing on offense was the right thing to do. However, from the manager's point of view, Li Ang's team focused on pressing hard. Every player had to contribute to the defense. He could not tolerate Recoba's uniqueness. This was a challenge to his authority as a manager.
Moratti was really reluctant to purge Recoba, but Li Ang's attitude was unyielding.
Finally, Moratti nodded. "Operate according to your plan, Li. I hope you're right."
Since Li Ang had said so, Moratti could only choose to believe in Li Ang.
After all, Li Ang was the manager of the team. He knew best which players were suitable for his tactics.
However, this was the first time he worked with Li Ang. Moratti finally felt Li Ang's style of doing things. He was strict, decisive, and ruthless.
"Don't worry, sir. Inter Milan will surprise everyone in the new season." Li Ang immediately assured Moratti. He knew that Moratti might be unhappy, but he had to persist.
*****
In addition to the list of seventeen players to be purged, Li Ang only agreed to keep the goalkeepers, Toldo and César. The defensive line only had captain Zanetti, Materazzi, Cordoba, the veteran Favalli, and the youth player Delafeore.
Only Stankovic and Cambiasso were left in the midfield. Adriano and Cruz were left in the forward line.
Excluding Burdisso, who was still on loan, there were only eleven players left.
Therefore, this meant that Li Ang needed to bring in at least fourteen or fifteen players in this transfer market to meet the needs of Inter Milan's three fronts.
The list of purges was submitted, and Moratti also nodded. The rest was up to Oriali to deal with the purging of the players. Of course, if necessary, Li Ang would still interfere with the purging of the players. After all, the transfer funds from the purging of the players were the source of funds used by Inter Milan to recruit players. Li Ang had the power of transfer, and Oriali was in charge of the matters and had to be responsible to him.
Li Ang began to consider the signings.
The first was the midfield. Inter Milan's midfield had been purged by him, and there were only two players left. They were the focus of the signings.
The players who were most familiar with Li Ang's tactics and who were most in tune with him were naturally his former players at Sporting de Gijón.
Li Ang knew that after he left Inter Milan, Manuel Arango would definitely push some players into the transfer market to cash out.
Some of the players were carefully brought in and nurtured by Li Ang. He naturally could not let others take advantage of them.
*****
Xi Hong!
Li Ang's departure from Sporting de Gijón was tantamount to an earthquake for the team.
The champions of Sporting de Gijón also attracted the covetous eyes of many powerhouses.
Diego Milito, Di Natale, Benzema, Mata, Ribéry, Carlos, Pepe, Grosso, and even Vermaelen, who was on the substitutes' bench, were all in high demand in the transfer market.
Mata received invitations from many powerhouse teams. Real Madrid even directly sent someone to contact his father to invite the Real Madrid youth talent to return.
However, Mata remained silent. He was waiting for a call from someone. He did not believe that the boss would forget about him. He firmly believed that he would wait for the boss's call.
Mata's father knew his son's thoughts. Although he was looking forward to his son's return to Real Madrid, the father respected his son's ideas. Therefore, although the old Mata had been in contact with other football clubs, he did not urge or order his son to follow his ideas.
Of course, the old Mata was also very grateful to Li Ang. It was Li Ang who nurtured Mata. If there was a team that the old Mata felt most at ease going to, it would be Li Ang's team.
*****
In the office, Li Ang picked up the phone and dialed a number.
"Little Mata, are you willing to come with me to welcome new glory?"
The boss's voice came through the phone. Little Mata's mood suddenly became excited. He had been waiting, waiting, and finally, the boss's call came.
"I'm willing, boss!" Without the slightest hesitation or consideration, little Mata said excitedly.
There was no need for Li Ang to describe the future prospects to convince him. He only needed a phone call and a sentence, and everything was decided.
Li Ang's first signing after coming to Inter Milan was confirmed.
"Very good. You don't have to worry about the club's negotiations. Don't slack off during the holidays. Keep your condition," Li Ang said.
"Yes, boss!"
PS: Please give me a monthly ticket. Thank you, everyone. The signing has begun. Does anyone have any good recommendations?
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