It took Inter Milan 11 years to climb back to the top of Serie A. Now, it faces what could be a rapid descent.

The future looked bright in May when Antonio Conte led Inter to its first league title since 2010, but the club and the fans barely had a chance to bask in their renewed glory before it rapidly started unravelling.

Just three days after the last match of the season, Conte left Inter by mutual consent amid reports he was unhappy about the club’s decision to sell players in the upcoming transfer window because of financial constraints.

Inter’s finances were hit badly by the coronavirus pandemic, forcing the club to take out a large loan from an American investment fund and ensuring the Nerazzurri management would need to slash the wage bill and make a huge profit in the transfer market.