Edin Dzeko’s surprise contract extension with Roma has a big knock-on effect for Inter, Napoli, Juventus, PSG, Mauro Icardi, Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain.
Dzeko had clearly been, along with Romelu Lukaku, the first name on Antonio Conte’s wish-list when he took over at Inter this summer.
His decision to commit himself to the Giallorossi until June 2022 effectively ruins the domino effect of strikers that had been expected to take place.
Edin Dzeko’s surprise contract extension with Roma has a big knock-on effect for Inter, Napoli, Juventus, PSG, Mauro Icardi, Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain.
Dzeko had clearly been, along with Romelu Lukaku, the first name on Antonio Conte’s wish-list when he took over at Inter this summer.
His decision to commit himself to the Giallorossi until June 2022 effectively ruins the domino effect of strikers that had been expected to take place.
Inter now need another centre-forward, while Roma can abandon their attempts to convince either Icardi or Juve outcast Higuain to come to the Stadio Olimpico.
Napoli can smile, because one of the main contenders for Icardi’s signature has now pulled out, although the Argentine continues to only want Juventus.
Sky Sport Italia report this evening that Napoli have offered €60m for Icardi, but Inter are holding out for at least €70m.
It also risks putting Inter and Juventus in a corner, so they might have to do the swap that neither wanted to go through: Icardi to Turin, Dybala in Milan.
That also has a knock-on effect for Paris Saint-Germain, who had hoped to bring in Dybala as a replacement for Neymar.
There was more bad news for PSG this evening, as Barcelona confirmed a basic agreement is in place for Philippe Coutinho to join Bayern Munich on loan, seemingly after rejecting his role in a player exchange for Neymar.
There are two weeks left in the transfer window for Serie A clubs and Dzeko’s contract extension has thrown everything into doubt.