The best 5 Inter Milan signings of the Moratti era
Former Inter Milan chairman Massimo Moratti has become one of the most celebrated figures in the club's history and for a good reason when considering that the Italian giants' prime years were under his reign. Moreover, the chairman has been a lifelong supporter, with his father holding that position back in the 60s, which goes to show how far his love for the institution goes.It is also worth pointing out that Moratti never escaped from the idea of investing money to get the best players available in Inter Milan. After a few decades of neglect, Moratti made sure that the Italian giants would have a lot of high-quality footballers, with five of them being perhaps some of the finest in the club's entire history.
Esteban Cambiasso
The fact that Argentinian midfielder Esteban "Cuchu" Cambiasso was a free signing makes his contributions all the more impressive. While Moratti was never scared of spending money on new players, getting someone of Cambiasso's caliber for free might be one of the shrewdest moments of business in the Italian's entire tenure. Moreover, his contributions to the side would prove to be one of the most underrated in the history of Italian football.That might be hyperbolic to some fans, but the Argentinian's entire decade at Inter Milan was defined by his consistency and elevating the team's midfield to new heights. He was a lynching for the side's defensive order and also had a knack for scoring a decent number of goals, which was always welcomed.
It is almost impossible to envision the club's treble and multiple Serie A titles without Cambiasso's input, making him one of the most underrated players of his generation.
Ronaldo
Inter Milan has had some of the finest footballers in history donning its black and blue shirt throughout the years, but very few times they can claim to have had the best footballer in the world playing for them. In the summer of 1997, Massimo Moratti made that happen by signing Brazilian superstar Ronaldo (nowadays known as the chubby Ronaldo) for a then-world record fee and cementing him as football's biggest name at the time.Some might claim that Ronaldo's impact was as big as other players on this list, but he was a massive performer for Inter when he wasn't injured. His first season at Inter Milan is widely regarded as one of the most complete in the legendary striker's career, not only because of the number of goals, but also because of the assists, free kicks, and overall playing style.
The Brazilian would deliver a legendary performance against Lazio in the UEFA Cup final that season, further cementing his status as a cut above the rest.
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Massimo Moratti with Javier Zanetti
Javier Zanetti
It is quite ironic how arguably Massimo Moratti's greatest-ever signing was not only his first when taking over the club in the summer of 1995 but also one with a very low profile that drew little attention. Argentinian full-back Javier Zanetti was signed from Banfield without much fanfare but would go to play for the club during the next 19 seasons, becoming the club's greatest captain in the process.The most interesting thing regarding Zanetti's record-breaking tenure at the club is that he was extremely consistent, to the point that it is hard to select one period of his as the best. Regardless of that, his leadership, professionalism, and world-class qualities as a player made him one of the finest footballers in the club's entire history, so it is fairly obvious that he had to be on this list.
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Samuel Eto'o
While Samuel Eto'o only stayed at Inter Milan for two seasons, his contributions would be monumental for the club's treble in the 2009/10 campaign, which is more than enough to be a part of this list. That is also because of the context of his signing and what he was willing to do for the club's success.He was transferred to Inter Milan in a swap deal of sorts with FC Barcelona signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic (that ironically enough left Inter Milan for Barcelona to win UEFA Champions League), but Eto'o, a striker during his entire career, played on the wings due to tactical choices by manager Jose Mourinho. However, the African attacker didn't complain and chose to do his best, being a key factor in the team winning the UEFA Champions League, the Coppa Italia, and the Serie A title during one season, which have made Eto'o a cult hero for the club's fans.
Diego Milito
Diego Milito's 2009 to Inter Milan might be one of the most underrated transfers in the history of football, especially considering how, much like Samuel Eto'o, he was instrumental in the club's success in that legendary iconic season. However, when compared to his African teammate, the Argentinian stayed for five years in Italy and managed to build a longer legacy in the institution.Having scored 30 goals in 52 matches across all competitions during the treble season would be enough to have him on this list, but he also scored the key goal for the Scudetto, scored in the Coppa Italia, and also the brace against Bayern Munich in the Italians' 2-0 victory in the UEFA Champions League final. Milito proved to be an extremely clutch moment, leading Inter to a historical high that is now the stuff of legends.
While there are cases such as Cambiasso and Zanetti building a legacy because of the consistency they delivered, Milito managed to deliver when it mattered the most. Great teams need a combination of those two profiles and Milito was a monumental signing that made an eternal impact in the club's history.