💥 Çalhanoglu sale, replacement hunt: Inter’s long summer🫣

Inter is going on vacation, probably at the worst possible time. The ugly elimination from the Club World Cup, the Lautaro-Thuram case, Pavard playing Padel while injured, and Dumfries potentially heading to Barcelona.

How the Nerazzurri world has changed in just a month. Going back to the week before Monaco, Inter was still hoping for the Scudetto, was certain of Inzaghi’s confirmation, and was looking forward to the final with PSG with justified enthusiasm. Then the defeat, Simone’s escape to Arabia, and everything that entailed.

Now the new coach Chivu is planning a season that was already not going to be easy, but which a little over a month from the start of the championship is shaping up to be very complicated.

The break between Çalhanoglu and the club is not final, but it is worth noting that a reconciliation seems far off today. Çalha wants to return to his homeland and the Nerazzurri would not tear their hair out over his departure, as they would have done a year ago. Galatasaray needs to make an offer, which has not happened yet. In the background is Inzaghi’s Al Hilal, which is ready to put 20 million a season on the table to convince the former Milan player to move to Saudi Arabia.

At that point, Marotta and Ausilio would start the hunt for a replacement. Ricci was an idea but he signed with Milan; Lotito’s valuation of Rovella (40 million) is far from that of the Nerazzurri; Rios is a plan B, costs 25 million and is liked by second-tier English clubs.

The dream, then, is Ederson. But here too, it won’t be easy. Twelve months ago, Atalanta showed that it is not a club willing to give discounts, demanding all 60 million asked from Juve for Koopmeiners. It’s unlikely to be any different for another gem like the Brazilian, who Milan sees as the perfect replacement for Çalhanoglu.

The cost is similar to that of Teun, therefore very high. A small treasure, then, could come from minor sales, such as those of Seba Esposito and Aleksander Stankovic: between the two Ausilio could get about twenty million, which added to the 30 that Inter asks for Çalha would bring them closer to what the Dea asks for Ederson.

Then there’s the issue with Dumfries. As known, the Dutchman’s contract includes a release clause valid for abroad and until mid-July, worth 25 million. After a year as a protagonist, it’s clear that the value of the winger is much higher and – therefore – the danger that top clubs are considering him is real.

Barcelona and Manchester United are watching, although from Viale della Liberazione they assure that Denzel’s desire is to stay in Milan and – therefore – there should be no problems.

Not problems but annoyances, instead, were created by Pavard and Thuram: the former by being photographed in a picture posted by a friend on Instagram after playing Padel (wasn’t he injured?), the latter by liking Çalhanoglu’s post in response to Lautaro and Marotta’s statements.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that there have already been clarifications between Toro and the two teammates, but the feeling is that the possible case has not completely subsided. It will be a long summer, one way or another. The first in many years where the Nerazzurri will not start as favorites. Perhaps, looking at how the previous ones went, this might not be bad news.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

📸 MARCO BERTORELLO – AFP or licensors