Genoa President Enrico Preziosi defends €60m Inter deal

Genoa President Enrico Preziosi confirmed Inter are very close to a double deal for teenagers Pietro Pellegri and Eddy Salcedo Mora for a reported €60m.

The cost of the operation has surprised many, though it would be €15m for 16-year-old striker Pellegri plus €15m in bonuses related to the number of appearances.

Salcedo’s transfer would be worth €5m with €25m in bonuses, but both remain at Genoa for at least two years.

“Is the deal done with Inter? It’s more yes than no,” Preziosi told news agency Ansa.

“Is it too expensive? I could reply by asking how much the other players are worth and they were paid hundreds of millions. Everyone finds values in certain negotiations that seem congruous.

“There’s a lot of talk in football, but then we need to see if the full fee with bonuses is reached. When we’re talking about a player like Pellegri who has certain characteristics, he can be of interest not just to Inter or Roma, but also to other squads at international level.

“Recently Real Madrid paid €45m just for Vinicius at age 16, so what are we complaining about?”