Ronaldo dispute, Pogba sale & Messi transfer talk addressed by Inter CEO & former Juventus chief Marotta

Former Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta, who now fills a similar role at Inter, has been discussing his supposed opposition to the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in Turin, a stunning transfer deal involving Paul Pogba and talk of Lionel Messi eventually ending up at San Siro.

While working behind the scenes at two of the biggest clubs in Italian football, a high-profile boardroom figure has dealt with some of the best players on the planet.

He has been involved in agreements featuring a Portuguese superstar with five Ballons d’Or to his name and a World Cup-winning France international midfielder, while his current employers have been regularly linked with an iconic Argentine down the years.

Was Marotta against Juventus signing Ronaldo?

The 65-year-old, who spent eight years with Juventus before linking up with Inter, was reportedly against the Bianconeri signing Ronaldo from Real Madrid a few months prior to his departure in 2018, but Marotta insists that was never the case.

He has told DAZN of the rumours suggesting that he did not want an ageing all-time great to be snapped up: “It is clear that when you buy a player you have to make a 360° evaluation both from a balance sheet, economic and financial point of view, and from a sporting point of view.

“I have made my own considerations. It is truly legend when it is said that there have been disputes over this operation, absolutely not. It is right that in a managerial context there is a contrast of opinions.”

Is Pogba the best piece of business done by Marotta?

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Over the course of his career, Marotta has been involved in a number of big-money transfers that have seen household names either join or depart the club he was working for at the time.

Despite having many deals to choose from, he considers Juventus’ acquisition and sale of Pogba to be his best piece of business as the enigmatic French midfielder was signed as a free agent in 2012 and sold back to Manchester United four years later for a record-breaking €110 million (£92m/$115m).

Marotta said when asked about his finest transfer work: “If we consider the outward and return journeys, how someone arrived and how it went, surely it has to be Pogba.

“He came for nothing and we sold him to the same club for 110m. It is an unusual thing, a unique thing in the world of football.”

Will Marotta ever get the chance to work with Messi?

Having previously worked with Ronaldo at Juve, Marotta is now focused on bringing the best talent available onto the books at Inter.

There has been plenty of talk in the past about seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi joining the Nerazzurri, but those rumours have faded on the back of a 2021 switch from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain.

That ship would appear to have sailed, with Marotta eager to avoid being drawn into a debate that does not really concern his regime.

He said on the regular links to Messi in Milan: “They told me about this possibility, but it is not something that concerns my management, but the Inter of the past.”

For now, Inter are focused on trying to pip arch-rivals AC Milan to the Serie A title in 2021-22, with there just two points separating them heading into the final round of fixtures.

Further reading

• Di Maria agrees one-year deal to join Juve
• Juventus to hold talks over re-signing Pogba
• Lautaro’s agent responds to exit talk at Inter