Inter legend Luis Suarez has hit out at his former club for agreeing to sell the Croatian midfielder.
Inter Milan agreed to sell the Croatian playmaker to Real Madrid in a deal worth around 35 million euro.
The former Spain international, who played for Inter for nine years between 1961 and 1970, says that the Nerazzurri are making a mistake and it's similar to letting Andrea Pirlo leave the club.
Inter sold Andrea Pirlo to their rivals AC Milan in 2001 for a fee reported to be around 17 million euro and with Drazen Brncic moving the other way.
"Mateo was key to Inter's future, he's a player who is at a superior level " Suarez, who played over 250 games for Inter told Gazzeta dello Sport.
“When you saw him play, you could tell he was on another level compared to the others"
“The comparison with Pirlo is appropriate. Andrea left because the club did not have the patience to wait for him to mature, and then he became the player everyone knew he would."
“Kovacic has the quality to become the new Pirlo. And don’t tell me he struggles in the defensive phase because at the same age Pirlo defended badly, but then improved in that aspect of his game."
"Don't tell me he struggles in the defensive phase because at the same age Pirlo defended badly, but then improved in that aspect of his game"
“The player needed teammates at a higher level that could help him grow, but instead he found himself as a leader at 20-years-old, and he had to assume responsibilities that were too big so that his flaws have been magnified and his productivity disappeared.”
The 21-year-old Croatian has joined Inter in 2013 from the Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb in a deal that was worth 15 million euro in total.
Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Inter over a transfer fee of 35 million euros, with Kovacic expected to sign a long-term deal in Madrid later this week.
Source: DSG
