Inter Milan can’t afford to sign Lionel Messi

Inter Milan said they have no financial means to engineer a deal to sign Lionel Messi, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner, a club official said.

“I don’t know where some ideas can come from,” Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio told Sky Sport Italia.

“Our reality is a sensible transfer market.”

Ausilio debunked speculations that the club was making any plan to sign Messi.

“No coach, no president wouldn’t want Messi in their team. But the reality is very different,” he added, as the Italian transfer window officially opened on Tuesday.

Speculations have linked the Serie A runners-up with a move for Messi along with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Ausilio insisted Lautaro Martinez will stay in the club despite longstanding interest from Barcelona.

He also said the club was in negotiations with Roma to sign Serbian defender Aleksandar Kolarov.