September 14 – Serie A front runners Inter are poised to further expand their academy network by opening a new academy centre in the city of Fuzhou, China, just weeks after introducing its Strikers academy in the US.
The new Academy, which is on a five-year contract, will be overseen by Inter coaches from Milan, who will instal the club’s academy model throughout the new facility.
The opening of the project will make it the third Chinese Inter Academy centre, joining the Hong Kong and Yihai-Beijing branches that were set up in 2018 and 2016 respectively.
It also marks the first academy opening in China since the COVID-19 outbreak.
The new academy, which was built in collaboration with Fujian Tiandaoyuan Investment Company, will see the club’s Chinese youth player network increase to 1,000 children between the ages of six and 15.
“The inception of this new partnership is a significant step forward as part of Inter Academy’s plans for expansion in China,” stated FC Internazionale Milano CEO Corporate Alessandro Antonello.
“It is proof of how attractive this club is in a market that is of strategic importance to us. China is the home of our shareholders. We were the first Italian club to play in the country and now we have around 150 million Chinese supporters. We’re therefore delighted to be embarking on this new adventure in collaboration with a noteworthy partner such as Fujian Tiandaoyuan Investment Co., Ltd.”
Lei, president of Fujian Tiandaoyuan Investment Co., Ltd “This is such an important project for us because there are so many fans and football lovers in this city who have always followed Inter passionately. Based on the guidelines of Inter Academy, this project aspires to cover the whole area of our city. The main aim is to develop our youngsters not just as footballers, but also as men and women.”
Inter Milan sit top of the Serie A beside arch-rivals AC Milan. This weekend will see a real clash-of-the-titans fixture at the San Siro, as both teams face off with the inevitability of denting someone’s perfect league record and with Milanese bragging rights on the line.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1735575273labto1735575273ofdlr1735575273owedi1735575273sni@g1735575273niwe.1735575273yrrah1735575273
