Davide Santon

?Wanda Nara, wife of ?Inter striker Mauro Icardi, says that she will have no qualms about criticising him or the club in her new role as a pundit for Mediaset.

Nara, who is also Icardi’s agent, will appear on the football show Tiki Taka, which airs every Monday on Italia 1.

Despite admitting to being an “Inter fanatic”, Nara said that she would not let her allegiance to the club or her love for Icardi sway her judgement.

“Mediaset called me for years, but I’ve accepted them now because I can,” she told ?Corriere della Sera.

“Isabella, my youngest daughter, begins nursery in September, so I’ll have a few more hours free.

“After that, Mauro is often at home on Monday nights. We’ve decided together, he agrees with it and he’s happy.

“I’m an independent woman, I’ve always worked and I don’t want to depend in any way on a man, even my husband, whom I love.

“I’m an Inter fanatic, but I’ll be neutral. I’ll improve my knowledge about the other teams, plus my friends and professionals will help me.

“Criticising Mauro on TV? What’s the big deal?”

Nara will not have much reason to criticise Icardi if he performs like he did last season, when he was the Serie A top scorer with 29 goals. Inter travel to Sassuolo this Sunday in their first match of the new campaign.

Nara and Icardi have been married since 2014 and they have two young children aged 3 and 1.

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Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario is back home, having been discharged from hospital after being admitted as a result of pneumonia.

The former ?Real Madrid galactico spent four days at medical facilities, firstly being taken to a hospital in Ibiza, Spain and then getting transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of a private establishment.

Ronaldo has since taken to social media to thank fans who wished him well, as well as the medical personnel who looked after him during his unfortunate ordeal.

“Hello, everyone! I’m home after a few days at the clinic,” he wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday. “Thank you for your love and comments and many thanks to the team of doctors and nurses for your kindness and hospitality. 

“Thank you @celinalocks for being by my side in every hour. It’s going to be a very nice season and full of magnificent football and surprises.”

The former striker, now 41, helped Brazil win two World Cups. He also won the Ballon d’Or on two occasions and played for five clubs in Europe during a remarkable career that could have been even more illustrious had it not been for serious injuries.

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?Inter coach Luciano Spalletti has committed his future to the club by signing a new three-year contract that promises to keep him at the club until the end of the 2020/21 season.

Having taken charge of Inter last summer, Spalletti oversaw a fourth place finish in Serie A in his debut campaign, resulting in the club’s return to the Champions League for the first time since reaching the Last 16 of the competition five years ago.

“I want to thank the Zhang family and the club for giving me the chance to extend my contract,” the 59-year-old told Inter.it.

“I would also like to stress that the signature was merely official confirmation of what was already in place, as my desire to continue fighting together for the good of this massive club was never in doubt,” he added.

“We’ve always had a relationship based on respect and mutual trust. Our daily discussions have made it clearer than ever that we want the same things for this club and its fans. Today we have strengthened the club’s shared ambitions.”

Inter director Steven Zhang commented: “During the 110th year of the club’s history, we made many good decisions in order to put the club on the right track, and today we start the season by sealing our relationship with Luciano Spalletti.”

“Last season, Mr Spalletti and his staff were able to improve the team and take Inter back to Europe’s biggest competition. This demonstrates the hard work and commitment our coaching staff puts in.

“We are pleased to extend our contract with Mr Spalletti and continue our efforts to build one of the top teams in the world of football. Today’s agreement shows our strong confidence in him and the long-term solidarity of the group.”

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??Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has reportedly had his future plans leaked by his agent, Marko Naletilic, after rumours of the Croatian potentially swapping Madrid for ?Internazionale weren’t laid to rest. 

As reported by ?Mundo Deportivo, Modric, who’s contract at the Santiago Bernabeu runs until 2020, has been strongly linked with a move to ?Inter this summer amid an influx of Croatian talent arriving at the San Siro. 

Having just been awarded the Golden Ball for his heroics in Russia this summer, the former ?Tottenham man didn’t seem likely to leave the Spanish giants, especially after they lost their biggest star in ?Cristiano Ronaldo. 

However, after Naletilic’s recent comments, a move to Italy looks far more likely to happen. Modric’s agent said: “For whatever reason, Modric wants to be a star in ?Serie A with Inter. Let’s see. I believe that sooner or later Luka will play in Italy.

“Like a lot of Croatians his age, he grew up watching Italian football.”

Naletilic also believes that Inter’s interest in his star client has swayed the 32-year-old more than it would’ve done in the past following Ronaldo’s decision to join ?Juventus. 

Modric’s agent added: “The fact Inter Milan tried to sign him and Modric took it into consideration shows the influence Cristiano Ronaldo is already having on Italian football.”

Madrid run the risk of losing Modric for nothing if they do not negotiate a new contract with the Croatian, with Modric allowed to talk to other clubs next summer. 

At the moment, Gareth Bale is Los Blancos’ highest earner, taking home around £350k-a-week, a figure which Modric has every right to demand if the Spanish side wish to keep him around. 

After undergoing a phenomenal transfer window this summer and creating a new side to challenge for the Serie A title, Inter boss Luciano Spalletti revealed his interest in signing Modric, saying: “The fact that he has interest in us is a great sign for our project. It’s not easy to get these type of players. He may not come but our directors still did a great job, so let’s see.

“I don’t think he will come, because Real Madrid still want to count on him. We’re a strong side. If Modric were to join us, we’d be very strong.”

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??Inter have confirmed the signing of Monaco winger Keita Baldé on a season-long loan deal, with an option to make the deal permanent.

The 23-year-old winger moves to San Siro after spending just one season in France, following his €30m move to Monaco from Inter’s Serie A rivals Lazio.

Confirming Baldé’s capture on their ?official website, an Inter statement read: “The forward Keita Balde Diao is a new Nerazzurri player. The Senegalese has signed for Inter from Monaco on a year-long loan with an option to make the deal permanent.

“It’s now time for a return to Italy and an exciting new adventure with Inter. #WelcomeKeitaand best of luck for this adventure with the Nerazzurri!”

Baldé’s arrival in the fashion capital of the world will no doubt strengthen Inter’s push towards a ?Serie A title charge, with his arrival signifying the Nerazzurri’s ninth arrival of the summer.

Radja Nainggolan, Stefan de Vrij and Šime Vrsaljko are among the high profile arrivals this summer, with manager Luciano Spalletti looking to bolster his side’s options in attempt to end Juventus’ unprecedented domination of Italian football.

Baldé, who was born in Spain but chose to represent Senegal at international level through his father’s heritage, made 23 league appearances in his solitary season in Ligue 1, scoring eight times.

He will make a swift return to Serie A though, where he will look to improve upon the 26 goals he scored in 110 appearances for Lazio during a four-year career at Stadio Olimpico.

He has represented his national side 20 times during his career, with Baldé a member of Senegal’s World Cup campaign in Russia earlier this summer.

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