Marotta has also confirmed Mauro Icardi and Radja Nainggolan are for sale.
Monday 8 July 2019 08:46, UK
Inter Milan CEO Giuseppe Marotta says the club "cannot rush things" in their pursuit of Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku.
Since bringing in former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, the Serie A club have identified Lukaku as their main target for the summer transfer window and are keen to bid for the Belgium international, providing Financial Fair Play rules are not breached.
Conte tried to buy Lukaku in 2017 when he was in charge of Chelsea but the 26-year-old opted to join United, where he has scored 42 goals in 96 appearances.
When questioned about Lukaku, Marotta said: "The transfer market is a work in progress. We are working hard to get the best squad possible for the new season. We are ambitious and want the best team possible. We also must find ways to respect all financial perimeters too.
"We cannot rush things because that can lead to mistakes. We have clear ideas but we need to be patient. We have important goals and transfer targets in mind."
Although, amid Inter's interest, Lukaku was included in United's squad for their tour of Australia, Singapore and China as they left the UK on Sunday.
However, two players that certainly will not be part of Conte's plans for next season are Argentine striker Mauro Icardi and Belgian midfielder Radja Nianggolan after Marotta confirmed they will be leaving.
He said: "Nainggolan and Icardi? We need clarity and transparency. They're great players and talent, but it's not enough. They are not part of our project, I say this with transparency and respect. Icardi is on the market. But we respect the contractual agreements."
If a deal for Lukaku cannot get over the line, Inter may turn to Roma striker Edin Dzeko who has scored 62 goals in Serie A over the last four seasons.
When asked about Dzeko, Marotta replied: "Patience is needed. It's like a chess game. He is an objective for us but both parties are trying to find the right deal. The player favours the move but that doesn't mean everything. We must respect the financial perimeters."
Conte signed a three-year contract at the San Siro in May in what is his first job since leaving Chelsea a year ago.
He said: "Premier League and the teams are frightening for their ability. The English league is very intense. Thanks to lots of foreign coaches the English teams are also very good tactically.
"The difference between the Premier League and the Serie A is not only about intensity. In the past the Premier League was very intense but not as good as regards the tactical aspects of the game.
"I think the Italian league is developing from a bad period, it's moving to the right direction. Serie A is realising the importance of the investments and the infrastructures, of the stadiums that belong to the clubs. We're working on the marketing, very important in England.
"The FA was very good at increasing the league until becoming the most desirable league in Europe, also as regards the TV rights. This aspect brought a lot of money. They was very good at uniting the economic competences with the technical ones. The arrival of a lot of strangers managers raised the technical level."
Before his time at Stamford Bridge, the 49-year-old won three successive Serie A titles with Juventus and also took Italy to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.
He added: "Choosing Inter Milan was easy because we found ourselves having the same vision. This was very important for me when we spoke, first with the director and then with the President.
"We shared the same ambition, the will of building something important, well conscious of the act that the road to get there is made of hard work and sweat. I saw the same desire, will and ambition, that I have, in them."
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