Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Leandro Paredes has reportedly drawn attention from defending Serie A champions Inter. As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italians, who are in the market for a new deep-lying midfielder, have set their sights on the ex-Roma man.
After suffering a heartbreaking Champions League last-16 elimination at the hands of Real Madrid, PSG could be facing a transfer exodus in the summer. Several underperforming stars, including Paredes, could pay the price of another underwhelming European campaign as wealthy club owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi looks to clear the deck.
Paredes’s current contract at the Parc des Princes runs out in summer 2023, making him one of the likely candidates to leave Ligue 1 at the end of the season. The 27-year-old has blown hot and cold since swapping Zenit St Petersburg for Paris in 2019, failing to live up to his lucrative €47m price tag.
The Argentine playmaker has been a bit-part figure in Mauricio Pochettino’s line-up this season, so he could be keen to come back to Serie A in the summer. Inter, who could be dealing with a host of midfield departures in the upcoming transfer window, are reportedly waiting in the wings.
With Matias Vecino and Roberto Gagliardini increasingly heading towards the Giuseppe Meazza exit, Inter are laying the foundation for a brand new midfield line for the 2022/23 season. They have already taken an interest in Empoli’s up-and-comer Kristjan Asllani, but Simone Inzaghi wants a proven player to slot in alongside Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu.
Paredes, who made a name for himself in Serie A, ticks many of the boxes for a type of play Inter are looking to recruit next summer. In addition to his well-documented qualities, the combative midfielder could be available in a cut-price deal.
PSG wouldn’t mind letting Paredes return to Italy, with Al-Khelaifi aiming to overhaul a squad that faltered in the Champions League knock-outs this season. That is particularly important to Inter’s recruitment campaign as Beppe Marotta will likely have to work on a tight budget.