5 players Inter Milan should have never sold

Inter Milan have sold more players than they should have (Image via Sportskeeda)

Among the few true heavyweights in European football, Inter Milan are still a force to be reckoned with. The Italian club may have lost some of its past glory, but they're on an upward track.

Inter enjoyed a successful Serie A campaign last term, winning the title, and seem to be on the right path once again. While they may not have the best group of players globally, the Nerazzurri still have some game-changers in their ranks.

Inter Milan have also sold players they shouldn't have

Last summer, the duo of Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi exited the Italian club to pursue their future elsewhere. While Inter Milan did receive favorable sums for both, fans felt they shouldn't have been allowed to leave.

Lukaku and Hakimi's sales are not isolated incidents as the club have sold talented footballers in the past and have seen them play brilliantly for other clubs. Here are five such players Inter shouldn't have sold:

#5 Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic could have offered lot more than Eto'o (Image via Dailymail).

Given the number of clubs he has played for, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's transfer from Inter Milan to Barcelona in 2009 seems like yet another regular big-money move. However, this is the only transfer on this list where Inter Milan may have even profited in part. In return, they got Samuel Eto'o from the Catalans and he was instrumental in their historic 2009-10 treble win.

But there are still strong reasons to claim that Inter should have kept hold of the Swedish superstar. Ibrahimovic was in his prime back then and could dominate opponents independently. He was equally good in the air and on the ground, and based on his stint at Manchester United, Ibrahimovic could have found success under Jose Mourinho.

💫 These were the two leading frontmen for Liverpool and Inter last time the sides faced off in the Champions League back in 2008…

In their prime, who are you taking, Fernando Torres or Zlatan Ibrahimovic? 👀

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While Ibrahimovic's Inter exit was premature, he still left a lasting legacy of what more he could have achieved. He wore the Nerazzurri jersey 117 times and had 98 goal contributions, including 66 goals and 32 assists.

#4 Ronaldo Nazario

Ronaldo Nazario was incredible for Inter but suffered injuries.

Many forwards have graced the football game, but few can consider themselves on the same level as Ronaldo Nazario. After bursting onto the scene, Ronaldo took the world by storm, and there were crazy demands for his service. When Inter Milan managed to acquire him for a then-world record fee of around £27 million, fans were understandably ecstatic.

However, the Brazilian's spell in Italy was a mixed bag. He won the Ballon d'Or during his stint with the Serie A giants but was plagued by injuries that shortened his stay. However, many fans wanted him to continue at the club based on his performances previously for Barcelona, and they had a case.

Ronaldo celebrates an Inter goal during the Milan Derby, 1998 ⚽️ https://t.co/WM0tEfuEK8

Ronaldo scored 59 goals in 99 appearances for Inter Milan, despite injuries ruining the second half of his stay in Milan. But his 103 goals for Real Madrid after departing Inter proved that the club should have kept him, though they made a profit on his transfer fee.