According to further revelations by "All Market", as early as last season when Ranocchia was playing for Bari, Leonardo had a high opinion of him and recommended him to the Milan management. In Leonardo's eyes, Ranocchia is the type of player who plays with his head, has excellent aerial defense skills, and is not slow on his feet. With proper training, he is definitely a moldable talent. During the first training session, Leonardo gave Ranocchia a detailed explanation of tactics, which clearly shows the importance of this Italian defender for Inter Milan in the future.
In fact, during the detailed discussions of Leonardo's contract with Inter Milan, the Brazilian mentioned Ranocchia's name, and Moratti subsequently approved the request. "Milan Sports Daily" referred to Ranocchia as the Christmas gift that Moratti prepared for Leonardo. From Inter Milan's defense perspective, with Samuel out for the season, there is indeed a need for fresh blood, and Ranocchia is obviously the most suitable candidate.
On December 29 at the Appiano Training Base, the newly appointed Leonardo stole all the media's focus, but in reality, it was also Ranocchia's first training session with Inter Milan. Although this tall and somewhat green big boy did not stand out much during the training, his potential and performance were still unanimously recognized. During the defensive training, Leonardo even paused to explain tactics to Ranocchia, showing the weight of this new signing in Leonardo's mind.
Moreover, according to "Milan Sports Daily"'s prediction, if Ranocchia can perform stably in the next week of training, he will be directly promoted to the starting lineup, representing Inter Milan in Serie A matches, and may even make his Champions League debut. Even Materazzi praised this new signing: "He looks physically fit and has a very good sense of the game."
According to "Sky Sport", Leonardo's selection of Ranocchia can be seen as a signal. In the second half of the season, Ranocchia is highly likely to replace veteran Cordoba and secure a starting position, partnering with Brazil national team captain Lucio. For a 22-year-old young defender, this will absolutely be a turning point. Inter Milan legend Mazzola is also extremely optimistic about Ranocchia: "In my view, among the younger generation of defenders, Ranocchia is just as good as Bonucci. He definitely has the ability to find his place in Inter Milan."
Thus, in Inter Milan's squad for the second half of the season, there will be Lucio, Ranocchia, Cordoba, Materazzi at center back positions. In case of excessive injuries, Chivu may also play as a center back. This five-center-back configuration should be able to handle the dense schedule of the second half of the season. Additionally, another Inter Milan center back, Rivas, has been confirmed to leave the team in winter. His destination is likely to be Chievo, Parma, or Brescia.