-- Ranocchia transfer news has moved from the hopeful for those in Turin to desperate. The Turin based news outlets have decided that Inter will sell Ranocchia for €18 million – a full €1 million less than they paid for him. Yes, you read that correctly, apparently a “newspaper” has decided that Ranocchia has gotten worse over the last 2.5 years despite a massively increased team role, additional national team exposure and massively increased European experience since his days at… Bari. Sometimes I just can’t help but feel insulted at this stuff. Why am I reading it, then? It got caught in my news aggregator. It’s not like I visited their website or bought their paper. I am still kind of insulted.

--- The whole idea of newspapers deciding who is transferable is just amusing. One week Handanovic is untouchable. Next week, only Kovacic is untouchable. In addition to Ranocchia being worth somehow less now that his stature as a player is twice what it was 2.5 years ago, now we have a mess of players who are ready for the block. The newest resident according to the talking chuckle-heads? Guarin. That’s right, last week’s “Inter’s version of Hamsik” is now officially on the block, Except that he isn’t. It’s some guy making noise on Sky Sports that Guarin’s former manager, now in England, might one day decide to go after him. The same guy had the exact same thing to say about Pereira. Except that he’s not going anywhere, either. Both of these players are exactly the type that Mazzarri covets: big, strong, willing to run and with decent feet. I would worry more about Alvarez, if you’re a fan of the tall Argentine, or anyone under 23. Those are the types that will be the first to go.

-- My Inter news aggregator is also picking up Benitez news. Why? He was coach for half a year in which he managed to alienate the entire team, minus some young guys. I think Zaccheroni lasted longer than this guy with half the talent. Why am I getting “news” about him?

-- More Paulinho news in the offering. I have something like 4 articles on how he now wants Inter… as soon as one of the richest families in the world is attached to the team. After reading this, I can’t believe that some people are looking forward to this takeover/partnership and yet at the same time I know it has to happen. It’s damned if it happens, damned if it doesn’t. Moratti needs to clean house or he needs to go. But a super rich kid with an unlimited check book and very limited attention span? Just get me stadium… I will just have to swallow the rest of it.

-- Everyone and their brother want to include Duncan in any deal that is attached to Inter. Newsflash: Inter saw the same highlights everyone else did. They aren’t letting him go. They might loan him out, but there isn’t any way that I can see – and I might have just spelled doom for this kid – that Inter would let any part of him get away at this point. They might loan him out so that he won’t wait on the bench for Mazzarri, who doesn’t normally like young players I have been told. But anyone who is looking for co-own? I think that would be a huge mistake. Loan him back to Livorno. They will bow and scrape to get him back for another year.

FORZA INTER