Erick Thohir's Talks with Inter Milan Goalkeeper Stir Rumors of New Naturalizations
Jakarta. Erick Thohir, the Chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) and former President of Inter Milan, recently held a meeting with Emil Audero Mulyadi, a player of Indonesian descent currently representing Inter Milan.
Erick, who also serves as the State-Owned Enterprises Minister, met with Audero to extend his support to the player from Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, who is currently competing for the Serie A title with Inter Milan.
"Met Emil Audero, an Indonesian descent player born in Mataram and currently playing for Inter Milan," wrote Erick Thohir on his Instagram page, on Saturday.
"My support is always with Emil in his career journey and, of course, his efforts to win the Scudetto this year with his beloved club," added Erick.
Audero, who plays as a goalkeeper, is on the verge of securing his fourth Scudetto title of his career, having previously won three titles with Juventus.
The 27-year-old player, who holds Italian citizenship, has been rumored to be interested in representing the Indonesian national team after posting the Indonesian flag on his social media page.
Despite having made 10 appearances for the Italian U-21 national team, Audero has yet to make his debut for the senior Italian team.
With Audero yet to make his debut, there is a significant opportunity for the former Sampdoria player to undergo naturalization and fill the goalkeeper position in Coach Shin Tae-yong's squad.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Audero was born in Mataram, Indonesia to an Indonesian father Edy Mulyadi, and an Italian mother Antonella Audero. He moved with his family to his mother's hometown in Cumiana, Italy in 1998.
On Nov. 29, 2023, Audero made his debut for Inter Milan in the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League group stage against Benfica which ended in a 3–3 draw.
Should Audero decide to join the Garuda squad, he will be alongside other naturalized players such as Sandy Walsh, Jay Idzes, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Justin Hubner, Thom Haye, Marc Klok, Ivar Jenner, Rafael Struick, and Ragnar Oratmangoen.
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