Amidst uncertainty over their attacking department for next season, Inter will likely turn to the summer transfer market to solidify their striking options, with names from across the globe already being linked with a move to San Siro.
Lautaro Martinez is the certainty in Inter’s future plans. ‘El Toro’ has 14 goals to his name from 27 Serie A appearances so far this term and his current deal runs until the summer of 2026.
Beyond that is where the uncertainties lie for Simone Inzaghi and his team, with the club unsure whether 37-year-old Edin Dzeko will sign a new extension and Romelu Lukaku set to return to Chelsea in June.
Assuming the Nerazzurri will bring a new centre-forward to San Siro over the summer, here are a few names they will likely be considering …
Mateo Retegui
Retegui is the name on seemingly everybody’s mind within the world of Italian football at the moment.
The 23-year-old Argentina-born goalscorer recently found the net on his debut for the Azzurri against England in the first game of Euro 2024 qualification, before making it two from two in the following game against Malta on Sunday evening.
In doing so, he became only the fourth player in history to score on both of his first two starts for Italy.
At domestic level, Retegui has scored 25 goals in 35 league games for Tigre, including six from his last eight this calendar year.
Retegui has already spoken of his desire to ply his trade in Europe at some stage of his career and, given that he is represented by Francesco Totti’s agency, a move to Italy could very much be on the cards.
Roberto Firmino
A different option in terms of profile, age and style of play is Liverpool fan-favourite Roberto Firmino, who has already informed Jurgen Klopp of his intention to leave Anfield upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season.
Due to a change in personnel in Liverpool’s attacking line-up at the start of the season and a calf injury which kept him on the sidelines after the World Cup, Firmino’s minutes this season have been severely limited.
However, over his eight seasons on Merseyside, Firmino has proven himself as being an integral part of one of the most successful teams in Europe over the last few years.
A decent goalscorer, Firmino is however, more renowned for being an excellent provider and in theory could work well playing in tandem with Martinez for Inter.
He does turn 32 in October and currently earns around €11.5m per season in the Premier League, but he is available on a free transfer and at his age, his wage packet is likely to be decreased when he leaves Liverpool.
Marcus Thuram
Also available on a free in the summer will be Moenchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram.
The towering 25-year-old centre-forward has already been linked with a move to San Siro for some time, as he was one of the names in the conversation to replace Lukaku in the summer of 2021.
Thuram has been a mainstay in the German outfit’s line-up this season, averaging 83 minutes per match and has scored 12 goals this season at a rate of one in every two games.
There is however, a lot of interest across the continent, none more so than from Bavarian giants Bayern Munich, who could offer the Frenchman an almost guaranteed spot in their starting line-up.
Gianluca Scamacca
Another name in the conversation is the out-of-favour Gianluca Scamacca.
Since his arrival at West Ham from Sassuolo last summer, the 23-year-old has struggled to cement himself in David Moyes’s plans and could be set to leave the Premier League after just one year.
Scamacca has netted on three occasions from 16 league outings in claret and blue, but has not featured for the Londoners since January.
A move to Inter could be a lifeline for the struggling Scamacca, but given the right treatment, it could be a move that works out well for both parties.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Almost guaranteed to leave Chelsea before July is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who certainly isn’t part of Graham Potter’s plans, present or future.
Brought in by his former Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel shortly before the German was dismissed from his position in September, Aubameyang was taken out of Chelsea’s Champions League squad by Potter half way through the season.
Aubameyang still has strong connections to the city of Milan, having played for the Rossoneri as an aspiring youngster and still has several members of his family still living in the city.
He will turn 34 before the start of next season and his salary will likely not be insignificant, but he has managed to score goals almost everywhere he has been, which could be an exciting prospect for the Nerazzurri.