Inter market, duel with Barcelona for defender
L’Inter has been working for some time to find a new defender to add to Cristian Chivu’s squad: Beppe Marotta and Piero Ausilio have been evaluating various profiles since they will have to replace both Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij, both of whom are at the end of their Nerazzurri experience. The former is having several physical problems and could hang up his boots, the latter wants to play with more continuity to convince Ronald Koeman to bet on him for the next World Cup and could say goodbye as early as January.
Among the profiles evaluated by the Biscione management, Marcos Senesi stands out: the Argentine defender is expiring his contract with Bournemouth and is very hesitant about the possibility of continuing at the English club. Skilled in the aerial game and endowed with great physical qualities, Senesi would be of great help to Cristian Chivu’s lineup but there is also competition from Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, which seems willing to sign the center-back as early as the winter soccer session given the urgency.
The Catalans will have to do without Andreas Christensen for at least four months: the Danish defender has partially ruptured ligaments and will not see the field for some time. To the former Chelsea man’s absence must be added that of Ronald Araujo, out since late November. The rocky Uruguayan central has asked Barcelona for time off to regenerate mentally, and the date of his return to the team is not yet clear, so the club must obligatorily guard with a new purchase.
As far as Inter’s outgoing market is concerned, there is an important development on the Davide Frattesi front: the Nerazzurri midfielder wants a change of scenery to play more and Juventus is the most quoted hypothesis at the moment given also the high esteem Luciano Spalletti has for the former Sassuolo player.
Unlocking the situation could be Tarik Muharemovic, a Sassuolo defender who has been in Inter’s sights for some time. The Neraverdi are willing to sell the player to Inter for 25 million euros: 50 percent of the sum will go to Juventus, the former owner of the defensive center back’s card. With that money, the Bianconeri could meet Inter’s €30 million demand for Frattesi.
