Inter won’t be able to retain Milan Skriniar, but the money saved on his prospective wages, which would have placed him amongst the highest-paid players on the roster, will be used elsewhere. Alessandro Bastoni and Hakan Calhanoglu are next in line to get an extension, as their deals run out in 2024.
Per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the talks with their agents started a while ago. The Nerazzurri wish to come to terms well before the summer window to avoid making the same mistake twice. Tottenham and Manchester United eyed the center-back in the recent past, but he pledged his loyalty to the club.
Both Bastoni and Calhanoglu wish to increase their current wages. The former make €3M and would like to get to €5/5.5M net, while the team offered €4.5M. Their unofficial cap is €6M, which is what Marcelo Brozovic, Lautaro Martinez, and Nicolò Barella collect.
The Turk earns €5M, and he’s eyeing a raise due to his strong showings and because he wouldn’t lack suitors in England and other countries. La Beneamata recently re-upped with Matteo Darmian. The other players on expiring deals are Edin Dzeko, Danilo D’Ambrosio, Alex Cordaz, Samir Handanovic, Dalbert, and Roberto Gagliardini. Some of them won’t be confirmed.
Our Take on Bastoni and Calhanoglu
The Skriniar drama should put the notion of taking extension talks too far to bed. The center-back is a bigger priority since his sale, which would be in order without an agreement, would fetch a significant sum. They can’t possibly lose two or three defensive linchpins in the same window. They have to make everything in their power to keep him.
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