Leonardo Bonucci, Clarence Seedorf and Andrea Pirlo among stars Inter Milan allowed to leave before they reached elite level
The Nerazzurri twice broke the world transfer record in the 1990s, but they have been much less successful with sales
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AFTER Philippe Coutinho joined Barcelona for a whopping £145million, spare a thought for Inter Milan, who sold him to Liverpool for just £8.5m in 2013.
In the 1990s, the Nerazzurri only seemed to sign the best players in the world, but they never seemed able to do the business for them.
They twice broke the world-record transfer fee to sign Ronaldo and Christian Vieri as they tried to battle the big boys.
But that overshadowed another trait of theirs on the transfer market — they are the worst club in history at selling players before they reach their prime.
And we’re not even talking about players they were forced to sell due to the demise of Italian football — they actively chose to allow these players to leave.
Here are seven players they decided to get rid of who went on to star elsewhere.
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Matthias Sammer
Joined the Nerazzurri from Stuttgart in 1992, but struggled to adapt to life in Italy.
Sammer scored four times in 11 games — including during a clash with Juventus — but left for Borussia Dortmund after just six months.
Three years later, he helped Germany to Euro 96 success, winning the Ballon d’Or and then the Champions League with BVB in 1997.
Dennis Bergkamp
Moved from Ajax in 1993 amid much expectation after finishing runner-up in that year’s Ballon d’Or standings — a year on from a third-place finish.
However, new owner Massimo Moratti preferred new signing Maurizio Ganz, and Bergkamp was allowed to join Arsenal for a then British record fee of £7.5m.
Following a slow start the Dutchman developed into a class act for the Gunners and now has a statue outside the Emirates to prove it.
Roberto Carlos
Despite interest from Middlesbrough, the stocky Brazilian chose to sign for Inter in the summer of 1995.
Carlos lasted just one season, and later claimed his difficulties were down to a disagreement with then boss Roy Hodgson over his best position.
Real Madrid swooped in and he won La Liga four times, the Champions League three times — as well as the 2002 World Cup with Brazil — and is regarded as one of the game’s greatest left-backs.
Andrea Pirlo
How could they let him go?
One of Italy’s greatest-ever players was allowed to join arch-rivals AC Milan at the age of 22 in 2001.
Pirlo won the Champions League twice, as well as five Serie A titles, including four during a spell at Juventus from 2011 to 2015.
Clarence Seedorf
Just a year later, Inter gave Milan the second pillar to form their dominant central midfield.
Seedorf arrived at the San Siro as a two-time Champions League winner following spells with Ajax and Real Madrid.
But he joined the Rossoneri in a swap deal with Francesco Coco and is now regarded as a football great.
Leonardo Bonucci
Juventus eventually sold the Italy international to AC Milan last summer for £38m.
But Inter allowed him to move to Genoa — who subsequently sold him on to Bari — for just £3m in 2009 at the age of 22.
Bonucci is now a lynchpin at the heart of the Juventus and Italy defences and is wanted by Chelsea, Manchester City and Barcelona.
Philippe Coutinho
Signed as the "future of Inter" at 18, he struggled to break into the first team despite glimpses of his brilliance during rare outings — and was loaned out to Espanyol a year later.
Coutinho impressed in La Liga and Liverpool signed him for a mere £8.5million in January 2013.
He has since gone on to establish himself as one of the best players in the Premier League, and Barca have now paid a staggering £145m for his services.