Inter Milan chairman criticizes Marco Palestra over failed transfer
Inter Milan chairman Giuseppe Marotta has publicly criticized Marco Palestra after the 21-year-old full-back chose to join Chelsea instead of returning to his boyhood club. Marotta claimed Palestra had verbally committed to Inter before Chelsea hijacked the deal at manager Xabi Alonso's request.
Inter had agreed a £43 million deal with Atalanta for Palestra, but Chelsea swooped in with a £47 million offer and a seven-year contract. Marotta stated that Inter could not compete with the Premier League club's wage package, especially after selling Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid.
Marotta's press conference remarks
Speaking at a press conference on Monday marking the start of the 2026/27 season, Marotta dismissed Palestra's decision as a 'lifestyle choice' and criticized the role of his agent. 'We need to control costs, not investments. And I'm referring to the players, who perhaps earn too much even if they're free,' Marotta said, as quoted by Goal.com. 'And then also the agents, who are increasingly important in the fate of football clubs. These situations are sometimes disproportionate.'
He added: 'The Palestra case is the result of a change of heart on the part of the player, who reneged on a verbal commitment made the previous month. His agent played an even more significant role in indicating the path the player should take. And so we had to give in, and the player went to a league against which we're not competitive with.'
Alonso's positive take on Palestra
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso expressed satisfaction with the acquisition. 'He has many great qualities for modern football,' Alonso said during his first official press conference on Monday. 'He can play in a back-four or a back-five, on the left. We need to keep working with him to adapt to the Premier League. He has a great mentality in terms of competitiveness and his hunger.'
Palestra's move to Chelsea was confirmed two weeks ago, and he is expected to compete for a starting spot. Chelsea will open their Premier League season with a trip to local rivals Fulham on August 24.
