After their disappointing Champions League elimination on Wednesday, Inter will look to further bolster their squad during the winter calciomercato, and a new midfielder will be high on Antonio Conte’s wishlist. But before being able to buy anyone, the Nerazzurri must first find a solution for three of their currently out-of-favor midfielders, and this is where the paths of Inter and Cagliari would meet.
The three Inter players that are on the chopping block are Matías Vecino, Christian Eriksen and Radja Nainggolan. While there’s still no clear indications on the futures of the Uruguayan and the Dane, the Ninja has been tipped to make yet another return to Cagliari.
But the Sardinians might have to make a certain sacrifice in order to seal the return of the their favorite son. A report by calciomercato.com claims that Inter are trying to acquire the services of the versatile Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nández.
The Isolani were surprisingly able to seal a deal for the former Boca Juniors man in the summer of 2019 for a sum of 18 million euros. Whilst Inter’s interest in the 24-year-old Uruguayan dates back to last summer, the Nerazzurri could be prepared to finalize the transfer this winter for a hefty fee of 36 million euros.
Our View
The writing is on the wall for this one. Cagliari and Inter both tried to sign Nainggolan and Nández respectively during the summer but they couldn’t get the deals over the line.
After spending several months on the bench, Nainggolan will be desperate to make his return to Sardinia where he flourished last season, as it obvious that the Belgian was never considered as a part of Antonio Conte’s plans.
On the other hand, Nández would be thrilled to make his big transfer to the northern giants as it would be a huge step-up in his young career, and follow on the same steps as Nicolò Barella.
For their part, Cagliari should be more than happy to cash in on a player that they bought last year for 18 millions euros for the double of the amount.
In conclusion, a swap deal which would include Radja Nainggolan plus cash for Nahitan Nández would be the best solution for both players, as well as Inter and Cagliari.