Premier Italian football club Inter Milan values Brazilian star Ronaldinho at $63 million, but have dismissed suggestions they are interested in hiring former Chelsea club manager Jose Mourinho, the club’s director-general told ArabianBusiness.com on Thursday.
Speaking in Abu Dhabi at the launch of a new football academy, Ernesto Paolillo said Inter believed in the price of Barcelona’s Ronaldinho, contrary to a report by the club’s President Massimo Moratti on Tuesday that the Brazil forward was too expensive.
“The value of Ronaldinho is the right one [at $63 million],” said Paolillo. “If we don’t buy Ronaldinho, it’s not because it’s costing a lot, it would be because we have to buy what we need.”
“The role of Ronaldinho is well-covered in our team. Even if the price is lower, it’s the role of the player we’re looking at.”
Barcelona President Joan Laporta has previously said that the player was worth at least 40 million euros ($63 million), a price which has stalled the Brazil forward’s move to Inter rival AC Milan.
Paolillo said that finances at the club were strong enough to buy players like Ronaldinho.
“I think we have the money to buy these players because the balances this year were much better than last year,” said the Inter boss, when speaking about next year’s Champions League.
“I think we have a very good team but we need at two or three more players to be competitive with [leading English football clubs] Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. To win, you must be the strongest.”
However, Paolillo dismissed recent strong media reports that Inter Milan are close to hiring former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho to become the new manager of the club when the Italian season ends this month.
“We have the best coach in Italy with Robert Macini,” said Paolillo about Inter’s current manager.
“We have a long contract with him, we’re completely satisfied with him. He was the winner last year and two years ago, and is winning this year – why do we have to change?”
Mancini has become the most successful Inter manager of the past three decades by leading his team to the title in the past two seasons, and has a contract with the club until 2012.
However, Mancini signalled his intention to resign at the end of the season after his team were knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool in March, before changing his mind.
Inter Milan will retain their Serie A championship title in Italy if they beat a rivals AC Milan on Sunday, as both clubs battle to reach next year’s Champions League in a match Paolillo is hopeful his club will win.
“I hope Inter will win the derby because we have to show the difference of a point that whoever has the rank is right,” said Paolillo.
“Up to now this year and last year, Inter is stronger and I’m optimistic that we have to win because we have the best players at the moment and younger players than them.
“I will be very sad if we miss the opportunity not only to win this match, but to close the national league, because if we win, we are the automatic winners of the league.”
An all-English Champions League final will be held on Tuesday between Manchester United against either Liverpool or Chelsea, a fact which Paollilo was positive about, picking Manchester United to win.
“We have to learn a lot from English teams, and my personal benchmark are English teams,” said the director-general of Inter.
“Italian clubs are not like English clubs in terms of organisation, the team or the company of the club,” said Paolillo.
Amid rumours about Dubai Investment Capital’s touted investments in Italian club Roma, Paolillo said foreign investors could help buoy football in Italy like England.
“I believe a new investor could help Italian football to improve immediately,” he said.
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