Mircea Lucescu: “Inter Want Merih Demiral, Me Being At Dynamo Is Like Conte Being At Inter” | OneFootball

Former Inter manager Mircea Lucescu has revealed that Inter showed an interest in signing Merih Demiral when the current Juventus defender was still playing in Turkey with Alanyaspor.

“Moro, one of my scouts from my time at Brescia and former Inter scout, came to Turkey to see him for the Nerazzurri and Ivan Zamorano once called me on behalf of Zanetti. Inter wanted him but Juventus , however, proved to be smarter than all,” he explained in an interview with Italian daily newspaper Tuttosport, which appeared in today’s print edition.

He then went on to discuss his decision to join former employers Shakhtar Donetsk’s rivals Dynamo Kyiv and likened his situation to that of Inter manager Antonio Conte.

“When you get to this level, you don’t want to go down. Think of Trapattoni , Lippi or Conte , who moved from Juventus to Inter. I am aware that I have ruined the relationship with Shakhtar fans a bit, but I wanted to feel alive. I tried to stop coaching, I was home for a year but football is my life and I missed it too much. So I couldn’t say no.”

Lucescu concluded the interview by creating a team made up of the best players he has managed during his long managerial career, with many ex-Inter players among his side.

“Pagliuca would be in goal. Zanetti , Bergomi , Rakitskiy of Zenit and Mykolenko in the back four. I’d have a midfield two of Pirlo and Fernandinho, with Simeone as an alternative. Hagi (or Douglas Costa), Roberto Baggio and Willian behind Ronaldo.”

75-year-old Lucescu was appointed as Inter manager in January 1999 but lasted just two months in charge before being relieved of his duties. He took charge of Inter for a total of 17 games but won just four of them. Of the remaining 13, he lost nine and he drew the other four.