Inter Milan will take on Manchester City in the 2022/23 Champions League final in their first appearance in the competition's showpiece since 2010.
However, as City's incredible rise has continued since their Abu Dhabi-backed club buyout in 2008, Inter's progression has been slower following a change in majority shareholder at the San Siro in 2016.
Under the new structure, Inter have won just one Serie A title, with former boss Antonio Conte in 2021, and two domestic cups under current head coach Simone Inzaghi.
Chinese Suning Holdings Group has endured a mixed record as owner in recent seasons, with the damaging impact of the Covid-19 pandemic creating a major impact on the club's finances.
MORE: Who will win Champions League 2022/23?
Who owns Inter Milan?
Chinese Suning Holdings Group is the current majority stakeholder and owner of Inter Milan after securing a deal to purchase 68.5% of the club in 2016.
As part of the deal, Hong Kong-based private equity firm LionRock Capital also holds a 35% stake, alongside other minority shareholders.
How much did Suning Holding pay for Inter Milan?
Following years of previous majority shareholders, including Erick Thohir and Massimo Moratti, trading leadership roles, Suning Holdings made its move for Inter in 2016 as part of a structured buyout.
After Thohir and Moratti acquired more minor shares, but boosted their overall sale package, an offer of £247m/$307m from Suning was accepted by the club's board.
However, the fiscal blow of Covid-19 was particularly severe within Italian football, and Suning has been forced to look for additional funding streams to maintain its project at the club.
In 2021, US asset management firm Oaktree Capital Management approved a loan of £271m/$336m to help keep the club stable, followed by significant financial support from the Chinese government to clear debt.
Inter were also hit with a UEFA FFP charge in 2022 over transfer spending, with a fine and a warning of future adherence to the three-year 'break-even' rule.
Suning has maintained its stance of looking for new investment, without pledging plans for a full sale, as lost revenue continues to be a dominant factor.
Who is Steven Zhang?
Zhang is the president of Suning International, the international arm of the business' international operations, and since 2018 the chairman of Inter Milan.
He was heavily involved in the initial takeover bid in 2016 and remained as a board member and advisor in the following transition period, before taking over the top job.
Despite a significant rise in the club's stock price during his first 12 months in charge, Covid-19 tore a hole in Zhang's financial plans as he waged war on Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino over his handling of the pandemic.
Zhang also opted to take the controversial step of joining clubs from around Europe in their joint European Super League (ESL) plan in 2021.
Major fan backlash and a string of UEFA legal threats caused a climbdown from Inter, among others, as the idea was rejected and Zhang resigned from the ESL board.
His status within the Inter fan base remains mixed, as despite a hands-on style, the long-term future of the club at the San Siro is an ongoing worry.
"What a feeling! We've brought Inter back to the top, credit to everyone." 🎙️
— Inter (@Inter_en) May 16, 2023
President Steven Zhang's thoughts after #InterMilan 👇
Inter Milan in 2022/23 transfers
After spending huge amounts on transfers in the first five years of its ownership, Suning has opted for a more frugal approach in the post-Conte era, with Inzaghi working on a reduced budget.
Major outlays for new players, coupled with a severance package for Conte, all fed into the UEFA FFP charge and Inzaghi spent just £27m/$34 in his debut season, and £34.5m/$42m in 2022/23.
| Player | Signing from | Fee |
| Joaquin Correa | Lazio | £21.5m/$26.7m |
| Robin Gosens | Atalanta | £12.95m/$16m |
| Andre Onana | Ajax | Free |
| Henrikh Mkhitaryan | Roma | Free |
