Former Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has paid tribute to Javer Zanetti.
The club captain is expected to hang up his boots at season's end.
Moratti declared: "He's Inter's history. Not only because of his quality but also for his professionalism. If you ask Zanetti about a game against Milan or Juve from 10 years ago, he'll tell you not only how it went but also why you should hate both of those teams [laughing]. He's also a good person, a sensible person, with this side of his character that makes him very much respected by his team-mates.
"With me Zanetti knew for sure that he could even have become president. Because I might have thought about naming as president someone who knows everything, someone who represents Inter, who's respected and who has the right image. And who could perhaps give interviews instead of me in the morning!
"There's been a change for him now, there's a new person who obviously couldn't know him as well. But I think he's sounded things out, also because Thohir is smart. Zanetti will stay at Inter and he'll definitely have a position which, in my view, must be an operative role and not just a representative one. Because he's the sort of person who knows how to manage situations, just as he's managed his personal life well with the PUPI Foundation and other things that are very important. He's managed his family life extremely well, his investments, his life at Inter. And I think he'll definitely be an excellent director and that's what they'll get him to do."
