Inter Director Rejects Opportunity to Head to Al-Hilal | OneFootball

Piero Ausilio had the chance to reunite with Simone Inzaghi at Al-Hilal, but he turned down a rich offer to keep serving as the Inter sporting director. The Riyadh-based side tendered a three-year contract with €10M annual wages, TuttoSport informs.

The exec would have tripled his current wages, but elected not to pack up his bags and move to Saudi Arabia. He’s been with the Nerazzurri since January 1998, starting in the youth system. After a brief spell at Spezia, he took on his current position in 2010, collaborating with Marco Branca, Walter Sabatini, and finally Giuseppe Marotta.

Al-Hilal will continue to be a threat to Inter as, after successfully poaching Simone Inzaghi and missing out on Ausilio, they’ll keep courting Nicolò Barella, who’s been on their radar for years. Their chase hasn’t broken through at this stage.

The Saudi champions remain on the lookout for a new sporting director. Monchi just resigned from Aston Villa amid a disappointing start. He could land on his feet in the Middle East. The other names on their radar are former Newcastle United exec Paul Mitchell and Benfica official Rui Braz. The Portuguese club could undergo further changes after hiring José Mourinho.

Matteo Tognozzi has been linked to Al-Hilal, Arsenal, and a return to Juventus. However, he’s now officially off the market, as he’s been hired by Rio Ave. He spent numerous campaigns in Turin and helmed Malaga last year. The Bianconeri are expected to appoint a new director to round out their front office fairly soon. Genoa’s Marco Ottolini and former Lens man Diego Lopez are currently the frontrunners.