Inter: The budget suddenly runs short—the search for a striker resumes, with one name in the lead

Inter’s depth in the offensive sector has suddenly become thin. Following the official statement confirming Ange-Yoan Bonny’s injury-related absence, the Nerazzurri’s attack loses a key player as the team approaches a very critical phase of the season, with the schedule set to become increasingly packed after the break, spanning the league, Champions League, and Coppa Italia.

The French-Ivorian forward underwent clinical and diagnostic tests on Tuesday at the Humanitas Institute in Rozzano, with results confirming the muscle injury he sustained on Sunday against Como. “The tests,” the statement reads, “revealed a muscle strain in the flexors of his right thigh.” Bonny has also had to withdraw from the Ivory Coast national team’s call-ups for the qualifiers for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

The club has not provided an official recovery timeline, but initial estimates suggest he will be sidelined for between three and four weeks. For Bonny, therefore, matches against Atalanta, Stuttgart, Genoa (to be faced in a few days in the league and in the Coppa Italia at San Siro), Frosinone, and Borussia Dortmund are now in jeopardy.

This situation further highlights a vulnerability that had already become apparent with Lautaro Martinez’s injury and was underscored in recent weeks when Bonny and Pio Esposito were sidelined with the flu, leaving Marcus Thuram as the only fully available striker. With Bonny now sidelined, Cristian Chivu’s attacking unit is effectively depleted, and the need to add a fifth striker is once again at the center of the club’s considerations.

For this reason, Inter’s management is paying closer attention to the January transfer window. According to the latest rumors, the name in the lead is Federico Chiesa: the Liverpool winger, a long-time target of Beppe Marotta, is reportedly considering a return to Serie A to regain playing time, as he finds himself on the fringes of Andoni Iraola’s Reds squad. This season, Enrico’s son has played just two minutes in total in official matches, coming on late in the game against Manchester City on October 11.

However, the Chiesa deal is not a foregone conclusion. Liverpool is said to have set its asking price at 15 million euros, while Inter would prefer a deal involving a loan with an option to buy. Any developments will also depend on the player’s willingness and the conditions set by the Reds. In the background, alternatives such as Atalanta’s Giacomo Raspadori—though he is currently sidelined with an injury—and Borussia Dortmund’s Samuele Inacio, a highly regarded talent for whom the Nerazzurri could move ahead of their competitors, remain viable options.