Inter Transfer Market: The Anan Khalaili Deal Has Fallen Through
A major setback for Inter’s transfer market, as the club seemed to have found a replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who has transferred to Real Madrid on a permanent basis and will therefore play under the guidance of returning manager José Mourinho. “Khalaili did not pass the CONI medical exam. We cannot register him,” admitted Inter president Beppe Marotta on Monday afternoon, confirming the concerns that had begun to surface over the weekend. Now the club will turn its attention to another prospect.
The news comes after negotiations that seemed to be in the final stages. Inter had reached an agreement with Union Saint-Gilloise for 25 million euros plus bonuses, even outbidding Napoli, which had already initiated talks with the Belgian club last spring with an initial offer of around 18 million. However, during the medical fitness evaluations, an unusual situation emerged, prompting CONI doctors to request further investigation: the team at the Institute of Sports Medicine and Science had suspended its final decision, fueling growing apprehension within the Nerazzurri camp in recent days.
Khalaili, a right-back born in 2004 in Haifa to an Arab-Israeli family, was considered the ideal candidate to carry on Dumfries’ legacy. Following in his father’s footsteps—his father Majdi was a goalkeeper—he came up through Maccabi Haifa before establishing himself in Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise, with whom he won a Belgian league title, a Belgian Cup, and a Super Cup. Last season, he played a total of 52 games, recording 6 goals and 6 assists, including three crucial goals in eight Champions League matches that demonstrated his ability to raise his game on the big stage. Tactically, he was a perfect fit for Cristian Chivu’s 3-5-2 formation, having already played as a winger in that system in both the Belgian league and in Europe.
It should be noted that Khalaili was not the first failed attempt to sign a right-sided player during this transfer window. Before turning their attention to the Israeli player, Marotta and Ausilio had long been pursuing Marco Palestra, an Atalanta fullback fresh off a loan spell at Cagliari: The 21-year-old had been the top target for the right flank before Chelsea’s intervention—and in particular, direct contact with new coach Xabi Alonso—convinced him to choose the Premier League in a deal worth approximately fifty million euros. This disappointment had accelerated the search for the right player, with Khalaili emerging as the ideal solution.
