Trent Sainsbury's loan transfer from Jiangsu Suning to Inter Milan is seen as a move made out of convenience, considering that both clubs are under the same owner. (Photo : Getty Images)
Inter Milan has secured the services of Australia defender Trent Sainsbury from Jiangsu Suning on a loan deal, amid under acrimonious circumstances. With the Chinese Football Association's foreign player quota in place, it seems that the Chinese club has benefited from its owner's ownership of the Serie A outfit.
At surface level, one may not find anything dubious about Sainsbury's loan transfer, having spent two years with Eredivisie club PEC Zwolle prior to his single-season foray in the Chinese Super League. But a closer look indicates that the transaction is a convenient one between two clubs with the same owner.
The Suning Group's ownership of both Jiangsu Suning and Inter Milan is not an entirely new case in football. Premier League side Manchester City is headed by the City Football Group, which also includes New York City FC and Melbourne City under its portfolio.
The Pozzo family of Italy also owns three clubs under different leagues: Udinese (Serie A), Watford (Premier League) and Granada (Spain).
With such examples at hand, one may lead to think that Sainsbury's loan move is normal and inconspicuous.
However, one can only wonder how competition in football would size up the moment such ownerships begin to frequently create a network of convenient transfers among themselves. Sainsbury's case stands as an interesting one to watch, given its sheer timing.
Inter Milan, given its glorious history, normally would not sanction the transfer of any player with Sainsbury's caliber, given his lack of tested resolve in European football.
One may conveniently say that Sainsbury has a golden European chance on his hands, but at 25 years old, he might as well turn out as a revelation.
But as Sainsbury gets to know his new surroundings at the San Siro, no one has yet to tell whether his loan move was merely out of convenience. After all, the Chinese Football Association's efforts to curb the entry of foreigners into China's top football league is one that has raised eyebrows on the defender's transfer.
If the move was meant as Jiangsu Suning's way to get around the new rule, which has since rattled the free-spending milieu of Chinese clubs said Yibada, then perhaps Sainsbury would not take long at Serie A before he finds a new permanent owner.
Nonetheless, Sainsbury has all the opportunities to prove himself at Inter Milan.
Curious how Sainsbury will possibly fare at Inter Milan? Watch his feature on FFA TV's "My Socceroos Story" below:
