Last season’s Serie A runners-up Inter have reportedly decided against pursuing a deal for Borussia Dortmund misfit Manuel Akanji. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Nerazzurri won’t chase the Swiss international in the final days of the summer but could reignite their interest at the end of the season.
Inter boss Simone Inzaghi is in the market for a new defender to bolster his options at the back. Though Milan Skriniar is set to remain at Giuseppe Meazza despite a genuine interest from Paris Saint-Germain, the Italian manager wants to have another sustainable solution to be a deputy for Alessandro Bastoni when needed.
Akanji has emerged as one of the potential targets for Inter. Already in the final year of his contract at Dortmund, the 27-year-old has been deemed surplus to requirements by new head coach Edin Terzic. The Bundesliga outfit would like to cash in on their out-of-favour man, but a lack of suitors could spoil their plans.
While Inter considered Akanji a concrete target at one point in the summer, the prospect of landing Francesco Acerbi from Lazio appeals more to Inzaghi. The two worked together at the Stadio Olimpico and are now close to reunite at Meazza, with the Nerazzurri inching closer to signing the experienced defender.
Acerbi’s imminent arrival will postpone the Inzaghi’s pursuit of Akanji until next summer. Inter could rekindle their interest in the former Basel man come the end of the season. He will be available for free in less than 12 months, and that’s when Beppe Marotta looks to pounce.
But it could be too late, with Leicester City aiming to bring Akanji to the Premier League. The Foxes are on the verge of losing Wesley Fofana to Chelsea and have identified the Dortmund man as the one to fill the Frenchman’s shoes.