Inter want to sign at least one new midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window: here’s why the Nerazzurri are in talks with Tottenham’s Tanguy Ndombele and Sassuolo’s Maxime Lopez and what’s their strategy.
The two French midfielders have different characteristics indeed, but Simone Inzaghi would need both to complete his squad in central midfield.
Lopez is a classic deep-lying playmaker and has been pushing to leave Sassuolo for several months. Beppe Marotta and Giovanni Carnevali are on good terms, so they are working on a swap deal involving the ex-Marseille midfielder and Kristjan Asllani, who has been struggling with playing time under Inzaghi.
Lopez would be a backup for Hakan Calhanoglu, but a swap deal involving Asllani would fix a short-term problem for Inter and Sassuolo as the two clubs would exchange players who are currently not too motivated.
Ndombele has different characteristics. He is more physical than Maxime Lopez and, on paper, he’s a Mezzala, the Italian definition of a box-to-box midfielder.
According to several sources in Italy, Inter are in talks with Tottenham and the player’s camp but would only consider a loan deal with no obligation to buy.
Just like Maxime Lopez, Ndombele would not be a first-choice for Inzaghi, but the Frenchman has Serie A and international experience, so he could add depth to the Nerazzurri’s midfield replacing Roberto Gagliardini who left the Nerazzurri at the end of his contract on June 30.
It goes without saying that if any of these two players join Inter, either Lucien Agoume or Stefano Sensi would have to leave. The Italy international, however, can’t be loaned out again unless he extends his contract, which currently expires in June 2024.
Therefore, the big question is: Would Inter have enough time to sign one player, extend Sensi and loan him out again with barely 24 hours left before the end of the summer transfer window?