Soccer-Former Juve chief executive Marotta joins Inter

Former Juventus chief executive Giuseppe Marotta, whose astute transfer dealings helped the Turin team win seven successive Serie A titles, joined their great rivals Inter Milan on Thursday.

Marotta was officially presented by the club as chief executive for sport and said he would bring the same qualities to the job which marked his eight years with Juventus.

"I'm starting a new chapter, a new path with the same characteristics of my past experiences, with great passion and great determination and a great desire to take Inter as high as possible," he said.

"I was born in football, as soon as this great opportunity came along I did not hesitate to seize it."

Juventus have won every Serie A title since 2012 while Inter have not won a major trophy since the Coppa Italia in 2011.

China's electronics retailer Suning Holdings Group bought a majority stake in the club in 2016 which previously changed hands in 2013 when Massimo Moratti, whose family controls Italian oil refiner Saras, sold the club in 2013.

In October, 26-year-old Steven Zhang, the son of Suning chairman Zhang Jindong, was appointed Inter president.

Inter, coached by Luciano Spalletti, are third in the Serie A but have already dropped 14 points behind leaders Juventus.

They qualified for this season's Champions League to end a six-year absence from the competition but were knocked out in the group stage after being held 1-1 at home by PSV Eindhoven in their final group match.

"Spalletti must be left to work in peace, he knows that the club is at his disposal," said Marotta. "It is not an easy task to get the results that Inter want to achieve. But it is our duty to believe in it to the end."

Marotta began his career in football administration at 21 when he was appointed as director of youth development for his hometown club Varese. He has also worked for Monza, Venezia, Atalanta and spent eight years at Sampdoria. (Writing by Brian Homewood Editing by Toby Davis)

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