Inter Transfer Market: Back to Square One After Dumfries; Three New Options
After Marco Palestra’s move fell through and the Anan Khalaili deal was definitively called off, Inter is once again on the hunt for a reinforcement for the right flank. Among the players still at the top of the list is Guela Doué, a name that had already been considered when negotiations for the Israeli winger began to run into complications. The path ahead, however, is an uphill battle: Strasbourg values the player at over 30 million euros and, at least for now, does not seem willing to consider a sale.
The Nerazzurri management, however, continues to evaluate other options as well. Among them is Djed Spence, a Tottenham fullback who previously played for Genoa and is currently competing in the World Cup. Verona’s Belghali, who was already being monitored during the last winter transfer window, also remains under observation. In January, the Veneto-based club had ruled out his departure, but after his strong World Cup performance with Algeria, he could once again be a viable option.
As for Khalaili, the matter has been definitively closed with an announcement from President Beppe Marotta himself: the Israeli fullback, born in 2004, failed to pass the CONI medical exam, making his registration impossible. A bitter ending for a deal that seemed to be in the final stages, with an agreement already reached with Union Saint-Gilloise for 25 million euros plus bonuses. Khalaili was considered the ideal candidate to carry on the legacy of Denzel Dumfries, who was sold to Real Madrid on a permanent basis: last season, he played a total of 52 matches for the Belgian club, recording 6 goals and 6 assists, including three crucial goals in eight Champions League matches.
The Palestra option had also turned out to be a dead end, and in the last few hours, the player’s agent responded to Marotta’s comments. Alessandro Lucci, the agent for the Atalanta fullback, responded to ANSA by refuting the Inter president’s account, in which he had accused the player of failing to honor a commitment to the club. “I listened with deep regret and, at the same time, with great astonishment to the words of President Marotta, with whom I have shared a relationship of professional respect for over twenty-five years,” Lucci stated, explaining that for about forty-five days, Inter and Atalanta had been unable to reach a final agreement on the transfer. It was precisely this stalemate that allowed Chelsea to step in, and the club quickly closed the deal for a fee of around fifty million euros.
