‘Serious contender’ for Man Utd job summoned by police over MAFIA links

Robin Bairner

• 11 Oct 2024 08:30 BST
• 3 min read

Inter Milan head coach Simone Inzaghi has faced questioning from police relating into an investigation into the mafia just days after being linked with the Manchester United job.

Inzaghi is seen as a “serious contender” to replace Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, though this investigation casts a shadow on his prospects.

Simeone is reported to have been interviewed by the authorities over their probe, which is looking into alleged violence, intimidation and other criminal behaviours from Inter’s ultras as well as those of AC Milan, news agency Ansa reports.

It also states that Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti could be interrogated as well as former Inter player Milan Skriniar, who is now on the books of PSG, and Milan captain Davide Calabria.

These officials and players are all said to have come under “pressure” from the ultras groups.

Neither Inter nor AC Milan are under formal investigation, yet they both must prove that they have cut ties with the ultras groups in question.

What is Simone accused of doing?

Ansa reports that the clubs are, however, accused of granting “illicit concessions in economic activities, including ticket sales”. They are said to have been providing tickets to “people who belong to criminal organisations which were then resold at a huge price markup”.

The report continues: “These people were under investigation or had been convicted for ‘Mafia-Style criminal association who transferred the money to the Mafia family they belonged to.’”

Simeone finds himself particularly embroiled in this case because he had what is described as a “meeting” with ultra leader Marco Ferdico and was explicitly asked to leverage his influence “to obtain an additional 200 tickets” for the 2023 Champions League final in Istanbul.

It is claimed that Inzaghi had agreed to talk to the club’s leaders as a result of this conversation.

Inter are claimed to have been in a “situation of subjugation towards the members of the Curva Nord” and “granted them favours, even though they were forced to do so”.