The foundations of the Nerazzurri house cannot be touched. The market avenues are endless and will remain open until the end of August, but Inter intend to confirm the defense as a whole and postpone the hiring of a central defender who inherits the shirt and skills of Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij until the summer of 2025 . While waiting for the summit with CEO Beppe Marotta and sports director Piero Ausilio, scheduled for a couple of weeks, Simone Inzaghi reiterated to the management of the sports area that he does not intend to deprive himself of the two veterans.
THOSE 40 DAYS
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Some doubts arose last month around the Italian centre-back, at the center of a media trial for the racist phrases denounced by Juan Jesus during Inter-Napoli on 17 March and with a calf that had forced him to stop for a month after the injury accused in the match away to Roma on 12 February. A 4-2 victory also marked by a goal from him, the second after the one scored against Bologna. Then came the third, very heavy because he scored in the Scudetto derby, to shout his joy in the face of the South. But it is certainly not from these details that a player is judged and Inzaghi for Ace would put his hand on fire for his dedication to the cause and the ability to lead the defense. In the summer of 2022, the coach insisted that the club take advantage of the frost that had developed between the defender and Lazio and then entrusted him with the keys to the defense which this season is the least beaten in Europe. Coming back in a big way, given that the former Milan player took home the scalps of the best center forwards in Italy and Europe in two poor seasons. From Haaland to Giroud, passing through Vlahovic and Osimhen, Acerbi proved to be a relentless scorer, unbeatable in the air (a factor which also paid dividends in the opposing areas), excellent in advances and readings, as well as useful in construction. All without forgetting that if necessary the blue can also play the left arm, in place of Bastoni. Once the “Juan Jesus case” is over (between acquittal and clarification with the club) and the calf problems, it would be crazy to deprive yourself of an element who may be 36 years old but still makes the difference. He has a contract until June 2025 and later we will evaluate whether to even extend it by a year.
DE VRIJ 2.0
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Same deadline and same trust as Inzaghi for De Vrij, also over thirty but returning to very high levels after in the two previous seasons – starting from the famous derby in which Giroud had mocked him twice – he had had a drop in performance which he had questioned his future at the Nerazzurri. The Dutch international had reached the end of his contract in the summer of 2023, only to then sign a two-year contract. It’s true that next season promises to be exhausting, with the after-effects of the European Championship, the America’s Cup and the Olympics, an expanded Champions League and the new Club World Cup which will last a month. But in the minds of Inzaghi and the transfer market, the two also provide physical guarantees and therefore the priority at the moment is to sign a striker.
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the others
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Also because in an emergency in the center of defense there will be the possibility of adapting Bastoni and Bisseck. All without forgetting that Marotta and Ausilio are the masters of zero parameters and that if an opportunity arises they will not be caught unprepared. Among the names already on the Nerazzurri notebooks are the 28-year-old Mario Hermoso, whose contract expires with Atletico, and the 2003 Nicolas Valentini who will not renew with Boca Juniors. Bastoni, who last summer renewed until 2028 with an adjustment to his salary, due to his age (25 years) and ability to be both a defender and an attacker, remains the defender who could once again spark the interest of the English big teams. But Marotta himself has just reiterated that, although the word untransferable does not exist, the idea is to confirm the entire squad. Also shielded by long contracts are Pavard (heavy investment which, however, is paying off with interest), Bisseck and Carlos Augusto, who is also decisive as an arm in arm. The only change in defense could therefore come to the goalkeeper. Sommer is not being touched, but with Audero destined to return to Samp, they will try to attack the Brazilian Bento, to partner with the Swiss for a year while waiting to take up his legacy.
