OFFICIAL: Simone Inzaghi Inter’s New Manager

Well folks, there’s some Inter news this fine Thursday morning.

A successor on the Nerazzurri sideline has officially been confirmed. Inter announced this morning that Simone Inzaghi will be joining on a two-year deal from Lazio after his contract in the capital expires this summer.

FC Internazionale Milano would like to welcome Simone Inzaghi to the Club, as our new First Team Coach: the Italian manager has signed a two-year deal with the Nerazzurri.

#WelcomeSimone

Inter Milan

The 45-year-old has been with the biancolesti since 2016, though he had managed the u-19 and u-17 teams since 2011. He took over the first team as interim manager from Stefano Pioli when the latter was sacked after a 4-1 defeat to Roma. Inzaghi steadied the ship with four wins in the next seven and guided Lazio to an eighth-place finish, earning a permanent role as manager. He brought Lazio to fifth place in the next two seasons before dropping back to 8th in 2018/19. The 2019/20 season was Inzaghi’s best yet in the capital and a 4th place finish sent Lazio back to the Champions League for the first time in 13 years. He took Lazio into the UCL Round of 16 this season, though dropped to 6th in the league.

Photo by Ciro Santangelo/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Inzaghi has had to work with little freedom in the market across his time at Lazio, owning to Claudio Lotito’s notoriously stingy pockets. Quiet transfer markets could be a feature in his time at Inter as well. But despite limited funds, Inzaghi turned the biancolesti into a very capable machine. Lazio has been able to hang with the best of Serie A on its day despite having an inferior squad to the likes of Inter and Juventus. Another point in Inzaghi’s favor is his preference for the 3-5-2, so the transition from Conte could be eased. Inzaghi’s teams, however, have a habit of collapsing at key moments, including a 3-2 loss to Inter back on Matchday 38 of the 2017/18 campaign.

While he isn’t a very exciting hire, Inzaghi has shown he’s more than capable of success in Serie A and has a Coppa Italia and Supercoppa to his name. Even if Inter has to make several sales, the Nerazzurri’s squad is still superior to what Inzaghi had to work with at Lazio (cough, cough, Vedat Muriqi) and a solid top-four finish is feasible. Inter may not be challenging for the title next season, but Inzaghi offers stability and a talented mind on the sideline. Just what Inter needs right now.

It won’t change what Inter lost with Conte, but Inzaghi is about the best we could hope for considering the situation. And I for one am ready for his era in charge.

Forza Simone! Forza Inter!