Reigning Italian champions Inter still have some work to do in the market this August if they wish to bolster their squad. The Nerrazzuri were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 last season despite playing some scintillating football in Serie A. If they wish to do better this season in Europe and defend their title it is clear reinforcements must continue to arrive.
Having stolen Piotr Zielinski from Napoli and Mehdi Taremi from Porto, Inter have to cut away some deadwood before buying again. Head coach Simone Inzaghi is delighted with Taremi but his squad still has plenty of room for improvement and young blood. Owners Oaktree are particularly interested in young players who they could sell on in a few years for profit.
Taking all this into account here are three players Inter should sign this August:
Mauro Perkovic
Put plainly Inter need a defender. Inzaghi’s 3-5-2 formation means Inter always need lots of options at the back. Players who can play in more then one position are an added bonus for the Nerrazzurri. Dinamo Zagreb defender Mauro Perkovic ticks all the boxes.
The 21 year old is on Inter’s radar and it’s not hard to see why. in addition to his young age he is capable of playing as both a centre-back and on the left of defence. This means he can serve as back up to Alessandro Bastoni as well as slotting in at heart of the back line.
Estimated to cost around €7 million the Croatian U21 international would be considerably cheaper then some other names on their list. For example Zenit St.Petersburg are asking for at least €20 million euro for defender Robert Reman. An almost ever-present fixture in Dinamo’s starting 11, especially in the second half of the season, he even chipped in with two goals in the Croatian league.
At this young age Perkovic would certainly suit Oaktree’s plan to develop starlets and he could see considerable game time this season with three competitons to fight in. Having gained European experience with the Croatian champions in the Europa Conference League this one seems like a no-brainer for the Biscione.
Have Inter Lost Their Fastball on the Transfer Market?
Albert Gudmundsson
Recent reports have claimed Fiorentina have put an offer on the table for Genoa’s Icelandic striker. It’s a well-known fact Inter’s top brass have been keeping tabs on the forward for quite some time now. One of the main obstacles stopping a formal bid being made is the amount of forwards already in the squad.
Someone must be sold to free up a place in the squad but this is proving a tricky task. Valentin Carboni has been loaned to Marseille in the past few days but one of Marko Arnautovic or Joaquin Correa must be offloaded. The latter has just one year remaining on his contract and Inter are determined to find him a new home before the window slams shut.
If the Scudetto holders do get their house in order Gudmundsson is an interesting if slightly expensive option. Genoa are ready to listen to offers and Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio claims Fiorentina’s opening offer of a €5 million loan with a €20 million obligation has been rejected. This should give some indication to the hierarchy at the San Siro how much they will need if they are serious about bringing in Gudmundsson.
On the pitch the 27 year old should offer much more then Correa. Acting as a second striker and helping create overloads in the opposition’s half is an important part of his game. Creating meaningful opportunities in tight games is imperative if Simone Inzaghi’s men are to avoid disaster in this year’s Champions League. 16 goals across all competitions for the Grifone has allowed his current employers wait for a high bid. For this deal to happen Inter must first concentrate on their outgoings.
Yarek Gasiorowski
An interesting if very young player Gasiorowski has just finished his first professional season with Valencia in Spain. Promoted from their B team in October, the 19 year old went on to make 14 apperances in La Liga and impressed. It may be a gamble to take a chance on such a young player but if the Nerrazzuri manage to bring in another defender he could easily be used in rotation with some older members of the defence such as 36 year old Francesco Acerbi. Currently representing Spain’s underage sides Gasiorowski is also eligible for Poland.
He is valued at €15 million which could be a bit steep but with the sales close of Lucien Agoume and Martin Satriano they could be tempted. According to Corriere dello Sport (via Tuttomercatoweb) Valencia have an ace up there sleeve as they can renew his contract (which expires in 2025) for another two years and add a high release clause as a result.
Also able to play on the left he scored a hat-trick with Spain’s U19s against Moldova and is on The Guardian’s list of the top 60 players born in 2005. Having the same agent as new ‘keeper Josep Martinez is an advantage and he would also please the owner’s preference for young investments.
While Inter must cut away some deadwood first they have plenty of affordable options to enhance their squad and perhaps develop some young players they could turn a profit on. Defence is the department that is in need the most if the champions are to be successful on three fronts and win a second successive Scudetto. Another option up front would also be useful and could prove the difference between success and failure in knock-out football after Christmas.