4 reasons why Inter will not retain Serie A title (2021-22)

Inter managed to win the Scudetto after 11 years last season

Inter Milan managed to end Juventus' Serie A dominance last season as they managed to clinch the title under the guidance of Antonio Conte.

While Conte had his fair share of controversies during his successful two-year spell at the club, he managed to build a strong team. The Nerazzurri romped their way to a first Serie A title in 11 years last term.

Inter could struggle in Serie A this season

But now, with the new season on the horizon, Inter seem to be in deep trouble. The club have found themselves in a financial crisis with the owners looking to sell the club.

As such, Antonio Conte decided to step down from his position. Key players like Achraf Hakimi have left the club while Romelu Lukaku is on the verge of being sold to Chelsea to raise some funds.

All this points out to the fact that Inter might have a very difficult season ahead of them. So here we take a look at the four reasons why Inter will not retain their Serie A title next season:

#4 Departure of key players

Inter are looking to sell several key players

One of the main reasons for Inter winning Serie A last season was due to the excellent group of players in the squad. The likes of Achraf Hakimi, Romelu Lukaku, Lautaro Martinez and Nicolo Barella played an integral part in the Nerazurri's Scudetto win.

However, the sale of Achraf Hakimi to PSG for €70 million and the imminent departure of Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea for €115 million have dented a massive hole in their squad.

Hakimi, who arrived from Real Madrid last summer, played a crucial part in Inter's Serie A win. Playing at right-wing back, the Moroccan made 45 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals and providing 11 assists.

Lukaku, on the other hand, has developed into one of the most lethal strikers in Europe at the San Siro. The Belgian has scored 64 goals in 95 appearances for Inter and was the club's top scorer last season, scoring 30 goals in all competitions.

Antonio Conte left and Simone Inzaghi said this when he was appointed manager.

He knew Achraf Hakimi was already on the way to PSG ✈️

Romelu Lukaku? All but gone. Lautaro Martinez? Anyone's guess.

What on earth is going on at Inter Milan? This 📝: https://t.co/YmKfAUb4KN pic.twitter.com/9YKMQ7HAIx
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) August 11, 2021

Apart from these two, Inter are also planning to sell some other key players in order to balance the books. If more players indeed leave the club, then Inter will not just find it hard to retain the Serie A title but may also struggle to finish in the top four.

#3 Turmoil off the pitch

While Inter had a brilliant season on the pitch, winning Serie A in the 2020/21 campaign, off the pitch things were not so rosy for them. Inter's Chinese owner Suning Holdings is desperately trying to sell the majority of its shares in the club amidst a spiraling financial crisis.

Know everything about the financial crisis at the San Siro as Inter Milan declare bankruptcy as liquidation looms after winning the Serie-A title after 11 years

China-based retailer Suning Commerce Group is in the middle of a financial crisis and ishttps://t.co/EB6zGlW0el pic.twitter.com/IMTbN0D6NJ
— Ankit sharma (@Ankitsh03158666) August 8, 2021

Suning bought the Italian giants in 2016 and has invested hundreds of millions of euros in the club in recent years in a bid to end Juventus' Serie A dominance.

While they managed to do that last year, the COVID-19 pandemic as well as Chinese government laws restricting Chinese companies from investing overseas has pushed Inter into a financial crisis.

As such, the company has been left with no choice but to put the club up for sale. With such uncertainty off the pitch regarding the future of the club, its effects have the potential to seep down into the dressing room and unsettle players.

If that becomes the case, the Serie A champions could end up suffering on the pitch.