Marotta says Chivu was Inter's first-choice coach and confirms Akanji transfer
Quick summary
Inter president Beppe Marotta said Cristian Chivu was always the club's ideal managerial choice, ahead of Cesc Fabregas. He also confirmed that Manuel Akanji's move from Manchester City will become permanent after a clause was triggered by Inter winning the Serie A title.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceInter President Beppe Marotta confirms Manuel Akanji will be bought outright from Manchester City and ‘with all due respect for Cesc Fabregas, but Cristian Chivu was our ideal candidate.’
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The Nerazzurri are celebrating their 21 st Serie A title, the first to be achieved with Marotta as President, because he was only the director general when they last lifted the trophy in 2024.
You can enjoy the Inter Scudetto celebrations on our Liveblog.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 03: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates with his teammates after being confirmed as Serie A champions following victory in the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Parma Calcio 1913 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 03, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) “This is a glorious club that is accustomed to winning, so it is important that we won the title three times in five years with three different coaches,” Marotta told Radio Sportiva.
“It means we have created a winning sporting model.”
Why Inter picked Chivu for new era MILAN, ITALY – MAY 03: FC Internazionale coach Cristian Chivu and Federico Dimarco celebrate after being confirmed as Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Parma Calcio 1913 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 03, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Chivu was chosen after Simone Inzaghi asked to walk away just hours after losing the Champions League Final 5-0 to Paris Saint-Germain, as he had already agreed terms with Al-Hilal.
It was reported at the time that they had first approached Como for Fabregas, then turned to Chivu after being told he was not available.
“Inzaghi made the decision to try something different, so we asked ourselves which name to propose,” insisted Marotta.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 03: FC Internazionale fans display a banner featuring Cristian Chivu during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Parma Calcio 1913 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 03, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) “We evaluated Chivu as the person who perfectly fit the profile. A coach is a crucial figure and, with all due respect for Fabregas, Chivu represents the ideal candidate because he knows what it means to play and win with Inter.
“He already had Serie A experience and took Parma to safety, so this is why we chose him. It’s true he didn’t have a lot of experience coaching, but we wanted to show courage with this choice.
“Now he is a winning coach who can stay at Inter for many years.”
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 14: Francesco Pio Esposito of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with his Head Coach, Cristian Chivu, during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Before taking the Parma job mid-season, Chivu had been working in the Inter youth academy as a coach, where he got to work with Francesco Pio Esposito.
That proved extremely useful when the youngster impressed at the Club World Cup.
“He asked us to keep Pio Esposito in the squad, another thing we are proud of.”
Meanwhile, it is confirmed that Akanji will be bought outright from Manchester City, as there was a clause in the loan activating the purchase option in case of the Scudetto victory.
“When we negotiated the loan, we did add an option to buy apart from the Scudetto too. We have great respect for him as a player and a man, so he will continue to be in our squad,” concluded the Inter President.
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What happened
Marotta explained that Inter chose Cristian Chivu after Simone Inzaghi decided to leave, insisting Chivu fit the club's profile better than other options such as Cesc Fabregas. He cited Chivu's history with Inter, his Serie A experience, and his work at Parma as key reasons behind the appointment. Marotta also praised Chivu's role in keeping Francesco Pio Esposito in the squad, framing it as an early success in squad planning. In the same interview, he confirmed that Inter will buy Manuel Akanji outright from Manchester City because a clause linked to the Scudetto win was activated.
Chance analysis
This matters because it strengthens the sense of continuity around Inter's post-Inzaghi project rather than presenting Chivu as a fallback. Public backing from Marotta reduces immediate uncertainty over the coaching situation and supports confidence in tactical and structural stability. The confirmed Akanji purchase also signals defensive continuity and proactive squad building, both relevant for medium-term performance assessment.
The likely effect is greater short-to-medium-term stability for Inter's coaching structure and defensive squad planning.
Treat this as a credible stability signal for Inter: board backing for Chivu is explicit and Akanji's permanent signing reinforces squad continuity.