Editing Dennis Bergkamp (section)

===Inter Milan: 1993–1995===
[[File:Dennis Bergkamp - FC Inter - Coppa UEFA 1993-94.jpg|thumb|upright|Bergkamp holding the [[UEFA Cup]] trophy after Inter Milan's win in the [[1994 UEFA Cup final]]]]
Bergkamp attracted the attention of several European clubs as a result of his performances for Ajax. Fellow Dutchman and then [[FC Barcelona]] Johan Cruyff, in an attempt to encourage Bergkamp to sign for Barcelona, advised him not to join Spanish rivals [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]], one of the teams said to have been interested in him, but Bergkamp was primarily interested in a move to Italy.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.elpais.com/articulo/deportes/CRUYFF/_JOHAN_/FUTBOL/HOLANDA/BERGKAMP/_DENNIS_/FUTBOLISTA/HOLANDA/FUTBOL_CLUB_BARCELONA_/CLUB_DE_FUTBOL/elpepidep/19930102elpepidep_2/Tes|title=Cruyff: "¿Qué va a hacer Bergkamp en el Real Madrid?" |date=2 January 1993 |access-date=12 December 2011 |newspaper=[[El País]] |last=Carbonell |first=Rafael |language=es |location=Barcelona}}</ref><ref name="FourFourTwo">{{cite web |url=http://fourfourtwo.com/interviews/one-on-one/371/article.aspx |title=Dennis Bergkamp – One-on-One – Interviews |access-date=12 December 2011 |work=[[FourFourTwo]]|date=February 2011 }}</ref> Bergkamp considered [[Serie A]] "the biggest league at the time" but after the success of fellow countrymen [[Marco van Basten]], [[Ruud Gullit]] and [[Frank Rijkaard]] at [[AC Milan]] he preferred a move to either [[Juventus FC|Juventus]] or [[Inter Milan]] to help distinguish himself.<ref name="FourFourTwo"/> On 16 February 1993, Bergkamp agreed a £7.1&nbsp;million move to the latter club in a deal which included his Ajax teammate [[Wim Jonk]].<ref name="Inter">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-bergkamp-joins-inter-for-71m-pounds-1473409.html|title=Football: Bergkamp joins Inter for 7.1m pounds|date=16 February 1993 |access-date=12 December 2011 |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |last=Haylett |first=Trever }}</ref> Upon signing, Bergkamp said Inter "met all my demands. The most important thing for me was the stadium, the people at the club and their style of play."<ref name="Inter"/>

Bergkamp made his debut against [[A.C. Reggiana 1919|Reggiana]] on 29 August 1993 at the [[San Siro]] in a 2–1 victory.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1993/agosto/30/Jonk_Toto_fanno_ridere_Inter_co_0_93083010915.shtml|title=Jonk e Toto' fanno ridere l' Inter |date=30 August 1993 |access-date=13 December 2011 |publisher=[[Corriere della Sera]] |last=Giancarlo|first=Padovan |language=it |location=Milan }}</ref> He scored his first goal for the club against [[U.S. Cremonese|Cremonese]] in September 1993 but had a difficult time against the highly organised and resolute Italian defences, scoring a further seven goals in the league. This was partly due to manager [[Osvaldo Bagnoli]]'s inability to find a stable forward partnership, preferring Bergkamp in a three with [[Rubén Sosa]] and [[Salvatore Schillaci]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-wright-faces-charge-fa-awaits-linesmans-decision-1506224.html|title=Football: Wright faces charge: FA awaits linesman's decision|date=23 November 1993 |access-date=14 December 2011 |newspaper=The Independent |last=Winter |first=Henry |location=London}}</ref> Inter's poor league form culminated in the sacking of Bagnoli in February 1994 and his replacement by [[Gianpiero Marini]], a member of [[Italy national football team|Italy]]'s [[1982 FIFA World Cup]]-winning squad.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=19940209&id=Fd9OAAAAIBAJ&pg=3282,3220664|title=Inter sack coach Bagnoli|date=9 February 1994 |access-date=14 December 2011 |work=[[New Straits Times]]| location=Milan}}</ref> The club finished 13th in [[1993–94 Serie A|Serie A]], one point away from relegation, but enjoyed success in the [[1993–94 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]], beating [[FC Red Bull Salzburg|Austria Salzburg]] in the [[1994 UEFA Cup Final|final]] over two legs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=1993/overview/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110121228/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=1993/overview/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 November 2011 |title=1993/94: Inter reclaim UEFA Cup |work=[[UEFA]] |date=1 June 1994 |access-date=13 December 2011}}</ref> Bergkamp was the competition's joint top scorer with eight goals and scored a hat-trick against [[FC Rapid București|Rapid București]] in the first round.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1993/settembre/17/Bergkamp_Baggio_magie_10_co_0_93091713338.shtml|title=Bergkamp Baggio, magie da 10 |date=17 September 1993 |access-date=14 December 2011 |newspaper=Corriere della Sera |last=Gherarducci |first=Mario |language=it |location=Milan}}</ref>

In Bergkamp's [[1994–95 Inter Milan season|second season at Inter]], the club changed managers again, appointing [[Ottavio Bianchi]]. Bergkamp endured a disappointing campaign,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/aebja5/remembering-the-failed-serie-a-careers-of-arsenals-invincibles-generation.html|title=Remembering The Failed Serie A Careers Of Arsenal's Invincibles Generation}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> troubled with stress injuries and fatigue from the [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994 World Cup]]. He managed to score 5 goals in 26 appearances. Off the field, Bergkamp's relationship with the Italian press and fans became uncomfortable. His shy persona and his propensity to go home after matches was interpreted as apathy.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/unravelling-the-enigma-that-is-dennis-bergkamp-1587595.html|title=Unravelling the enigma that is Dennis Bergkamp|date=21 June 1995 |access-date=14 December 2011 |newspaper=The Independent |last=Winner |first=David |location=London }}</ref> Because of his poor performance on the pitch, one Italian publication renamed their award given to the worst performance of the week, ''L'asino della settimana'' (Donkey of the Week) to ''Bergkamp della settimana''.<ref name="FourFourTwo"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2000/06/27/che-incubi-milano-il-riscatto-dei-ripudiati.html|title=Che incubi a Milano Il riscatto dei ripudiati |date=27 June 2000 |access-date=14 December 2011 |newspaper=[[la Repubblica]] |last=Marrese |first=Emilio |language=it }}</ref> Inter ended the [[1994–95 Serie A|league season]] in sixth position and failed to retain the [[1994–95 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]], with the club eliminated in the second round. In February 1995, the club was purchased by Italian businessman and fan [[Massimo Moratti]], who promised to invest heavily in the squad.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.corrieredellosport.it/accaddeoggi/2011/02/18-156431/1995,+Moratti+compra+l%27Inter |title=1995, Moratti compra l'Inter |date=18 February 2011 |access-date=14 December 2011 |publisher=[[Corriere dello Sport]] |last=Marrese |first=Emilio |language=it |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203020340/http://www.corrieredellosport.it/accaddeoggi/2011/02/18-156431/1995,+Moratti+compra+l%27Inter |archive-date=3 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bergkamp's future in the first team was uncertain following the signing of [[Maurizio Ganz]] a month after the takeover.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1995/marzo/29/Ganz_primo_colpo_Moratti_co_0_95032914360.shtml|title=Ganz, il primo colpo di Moratti |date=29 March 1995 |access-date=14 December 2011 |newspaper=Corriere della Sera |agency=BBC |language=it }}</ref>