Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio has offered a candid assessment of recent transfer setbacks, admitting the club were “snubbed” by defender Marco Palestra and acknowledging his failure to secure Sandro Tonali ranks as his biggest career regret.
Speaking at the Serie A transfer market launch event in Rimini on Monday evening, Ausilio provided rare insight into the collapse of Inter’s pursuit of Palestra from Atalanta. The defender ultimately chose Chelsea despite advanced negotiations with the Nerazzurri.
Financial disparity ended Palestra pursuit
Ausilio confirmed that Chelsea’s superior resources proved decisive in the battle for the 20-year-old centre-back. The London club offered double the wages Inter could propose, alongside a transfer fee approximately €10million higher than Inter’s maximum valuation.
“I got snubbed the way I haven’t been since I asked a girl out in school,” Ausilio told reporters. “That is a no. We did what we had to do, our maximum was less than half of what the others could provide. It’s a snub and we have to take that.”
The Inter director hinted that hesitation from American owners Oaktree contributed to the delay that allowed Chelsea to intervene. When questioned about working with distant proprietors based in the United States, Ausilio suggested communication difficulties had affected negotiations.
“It is a bit unusual, and it is important to have a go-between like [CEO Giuseppe] Marotta working with both the sporting and managerial sides of things,” he explained. “At times we manage to transmit our ideas well, at times less well.”
Tonali remains the ‘one that got away’
While the Palestra rejection stings, Ausilio reserved his strongest self-criticism for the failure to sign Tonali from Brescia in 2020. The midfielder instead joined rivals AC Milan, establishing himself as one of Italy’s most promising talents before Newcastle United acquired him for over €60million in 2023.
“A situation where I could’ve done more was Tonali when he was still at Brescia,” Ausilio admitted. “In that situation, I was caught napping.”
The confession highlights a significant missed opportunity for Inter, who watched a player they had tracked closely become a key figure at their San Siro neighbours before securing a lucrative Premier League transfer.
Implications for Inter’s strategy
The admissions underline the challenges facing Inter under Oaktree’s ownership, which assumed control of the club in May 2024. The Palestra episode suggests the new regime may adopt a more cautious financial approach than predecessor Suning, potentially limiting Inter’s ability to compete with wealthy Premier League suitors for emerging talents.
Tonali’s subsequent success and valuation—having tripled his worth within three years at Milan—further emphasises the cost of hesitation in the transfer market. For a club seeking to maintain domestic dominance while managing fresh ownership constraints, Ausilio’s candour offers supporters transparency, if not consolation.