Chapter 268: Chapter 268

Born in 1988, Ranocchia is 27 years old this year.

This should have been the golden period for a center-back maturing.

This season’s excellent performance is the best sign that he has matured.

But over the years, Ranocchia has always been a substitute in the Italian national team!

Chiellini, Barzagli, and Bonucci, these three Juventus center-backs, transitioned seamlessly from the Juventus defense line to the national team.

Throw in Buffon, and good grief, half of the Italian national team is made up of Juventus players.

After this season, Ranocchia is full of confidence, believing that his performance is enough to replace one of Juventus’s veteran defenders and serve as the main center-back for the national team.

Ranocchia is a native Italian, with his family going back three generations without any foreign blood.

He values the national team more than life itself, dreaming of winning next year’s European Cup with Italy.

If what Ossilio said is true, and he stubbornly stays at Inter without leaving, he’ll be benched — such things have indeed happened in Italy — then next year’s European Cup, let alone being a substitute, he might not even make it into the squad list.

"Where do you want to sell me?" Ranocchia asked, trembling.

"Abroad, only foreign clubs can afford you," Ossilio said.

Ranocchia hung up the phone and walked to the seaside.

A wave rolled in, the cool seawater lapping at his ankles.

He looked at the sunny horizon, a few seagulls flying off in the distance, gradually disappearing.

A sense of bewilderment engulfed his entire body.

The next day, the "Rome Sports Newspaper" broke the news!

Dortmund has made an offer of 30 million euros for Ranocchia!

Dortmund fans went wild!

If they could pair this Serie A’s best center-back with Hummels, the sight would be utterly beautiful.

Dortmund could then possess the strongest ironclad defense in the Bundesliga!

The possibility of toppling Bayern grows larger!

The next day, "The Sun" also broke the news that Manchester United is keen on this Inter center-back, wanting to bring him to Manchester to reunite with former teammate Icardi!

Manchester United fans are even more ecstatic!

Skrtel and Phil Jones have rough footwork, typical of traditional Premier League center-backs, while Smolin is frequently injured, and the Argentine defender Rojo can play center-back but has never adapted to the Premier League pace.

If at this point, a center-back like Ranocchia, with height, physique, ball control, and passing, comes in, it would be technical welfare for Manchester United’s defense line.

Ossilio sat in the office with four mobile phones on the table, the landline occasionally ringing.

As for the email, it kept pinging incessantly.

Ossilio typed slowly, relying on the hunt-and-peck method, but at this moment, he couldn’t risk letting the secretary handle the emails, as these transfer offers were confidential, and only he knew the exact numbers in the whole club.

"Good, good, very good, continue!"

This summer had just begun, but Ossilio’s daily sleep was already less than six hours.

He had quickly entered into work mode.

For farmers, autumn is the harvest season.

For Ossilio, a year’s plan lies in summer; this is his prime time for cashing in.

Milan Sports Daily: "Tottenham offers Gualin, 25 million euros can take him away!"

Rome Sports Newspaper: "31-year-old Handanovic is at his peak, Everton is interested in the Slovenian goalkeeper!"

Turin Sports Newspaper: "Marotta is in contact with Inter midfielder Hernanes, with an initial offer of one million."

Hour News: "Inter will not buy Podolski, the German star’s next stop is the Premier League!"

Daily Sports: "Real Madrid has eyes on Yuto Nagatomo? The Japanese wing-back is about to land at Bernabéu, with 20 million euros taking him away!"

Southampton News: "Liverpool’s transfer target is Shaqiri, Rodgers: I admire his speed on the flanks!"

Manchester Evening News: "The competition for Tang Long enters a fever pitch! Chelsea VS Manchester City, who will be the final winner?"

Among the numerous transfer reports, the headline of the UK’s largest and most authoritative newspaper media "The Times" seemed rather comical, yet amidst the humor, a touch of melancholy was revealed.

"Inter Supermarket Officially Opens! All Players on Display for Selection"

Seeing this scene, Inter fans’ hearts are about to break.

It’s only been a year, and the team is about to disband!

This season, we defeated Juventus and won the Coppa Italia; we beat Seville and lifted the UEFA Europa League after a 17-year wait!

Not only did we qualify for next season’s Champions League group stage, but we also fought our way back in European competitions, winning back four Champions League group stage spots for Serie A.

Yet for some reason, the tree planted by the predecessors, enjoyed by future generations, is now being cut down???

Faced with this outrageous scene, Chinese fans are also sighing endlessly.

-[Those who know are aware Inter won the double, those who don’t might think Inter got relegated!]

-[This is worse than relegation, this is disbandment on the spot!]

-[Goodness, sold Icardi, sold Tang Long, sold Ranocchia, sold goalkeeper Handa, the trunk of the Inter tree has been chopped down.]

-[It’s not just the trunk, not buying Podolski outright, selling Hernanes, selling Nagatomo, selling Shaqiri, it’s like even the branches and leaves have been sawed off!]

-[Real Madrid wants Nagatomo? This Japanese guy must have had some serious luck, do you believe it? I don’t!]

-[Just a ploy, but Nagatomo does have some skills. Playing key in the lower mid-range of Serie A is doable, and he could still get game time abroad.]

-[I only care about where Tang Long goes!]

-[Tang Long brought a wave of popularity to Inter in China, if he leaves, fans will probably migrate en masse again.]

-[From the current reports, Tang Long’s next stop should be the Premier League, just a matter of whether it’s Manchester City or Chelsea!]

-[Ha, Mourinho matched with Tang Long, can’t even imagine the picture; will Tang Long be transformed into Makelele?]

-[Compared to Chelsea, Manchester City plays more on the ground, with better footwork among the players, Tang Long seems better suited to the Blue Moon.]

Honestly speaking, in China, apart from Inter fans, other players all wish Tang Long would leave Serie A and go to the Premier League.

AC Milan, Juventus, Roma fans don’t even need to be mentioned, as direct competitors for the domestic championship, Tang Long’s departure will greatly weaken Inter’s midfield strength, something they’re glad to see.

As for other neutral fans, they’ve long had enough of Serie A’s Underworld timing!

Every weekend it’s like practicing immortality!

Especially Premier League fans, widely covered in China.

Originally, you just watched the Manchester United match I liked, at 10 o’clock, finishing at 12 o’clock, brush teeth, submit homework, and sleep.

Now, after watching Manchester United, you still can’t sleep.

There’s still an Inter match at three forty-five in the morning!

The hope of the whole village, must watch Tang Long’s game!

These three hours, do you sleep or not sleep?

If you sleep, you might not wake up again.

No heating in the South during winter, can’t get up.

If you don’t sleep, stay up till three forty-five.

Some people fell asleep watching halfway, goodness, stayed up so long just to muddle through twenty minutes;

Some managed to watch it all, by five-thirty, it’s bright outside, can’t sleep anymore, off to school or work looking like a panda.

That feeling, don’t even mention how uncomfortable it is (La Liga fans should also understand).

"Official: Gualin transfers to Tottenham, signed for four years!"

"Di Ma Zhi Ao: Handanovic passed the Everton medical, player is about to sign!"

"Shaqiri follows Liverpool’s official account, likes news of Liverpool fans hoping for his joining!"

"Transfer to Manchester United, completion 95%! Facing inquiries, why does Ranocchia bow his head and remain silent?"

"Nagatomo’s agent shows up at Norwich headquarters, is the Japanese star set for England?"

July has just passed twenty days.

Inter Milan’s 25-person main team group chat, constantly having people exit, leaving only 20.

Faced with the Grand Opening of Inter’s supermarket, Premier League teams are extremely greedy!

They have the money, can increase players’ salaries; leaning on big trees for shade, the Premier League as a top platform also offers greater exposure compared to Serie A.

Inter’s players, many are Serie A’s top-tier talents, some even reaching elite level, effortlessly fitting into the Premier League!

It’s a great time for bargain hunting, the wealthy Premier League teams holding the idea of striking first, acting swiftly, leaving other league teams little time to think.

Some players have already been announced, like Gualin;

Others haven’t been announced, but the process is already at the final step, soon to be announced.

Previously, during match breaks, the 25-person group chat was always lively.

Now, it’s exceptionally quiet.

Some are in a great hurry to leave, heading for a bigger stage, to earn more money.

While others cling to everything at Inter, wanting to live forever in Milan.

Fullback Dambrosio declared, he would absolutely never leave the city of Milan.

"My son is almost in primary school, he has his own friends and social circle locally, my wife also loves Milan, I will not leave here."

The most bewildered has to be the 19-year-old prospect Bonazzoli.

Kid hasn’t snapped out of it yet.

How come I just signed a new contract with the club, and the seniors are all leaving me one by one?

What’ll happen next season!

Won’t I have to shoulder the attacking burden alone, oh dear, huge pressure.

But who’ll pass me the ball!

Should I just run away too then.

Thinking about this, Bonazzoli, who was doing bench presses in the gym, quickly flipped over and made a call to big brother Tang Long...