Inter chief Beppe Marotta confirms talks continue with Al-Nassr for Marcelo Brozovic, while Chelsea want €50m for Romelu Lukaku and ‘no offer has come in yet’ from Manchester United for Andre Onana.
The Nerazzurri are at the centre of several big deals and this has been a remarkably chaotic day even by the standards of the summer transfer window.
Brozovic seemed to be a done deal with Al-Nassr for €23m, but after the Saudi Pro League club had to increase the wage package to €100m over three years between salary and signing-on fee, they cut the transfer fee down to €13m plus €2m in bonuses.
This evening, Sky Sport Italia report they stepped up again to €17m guaranteed, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough.
“There was an alteration of the balance, let’s put it like that. We had agreed a fee, then the proposal was changed, so naturally we slammed the door on them,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia.
“After that, the situation can open again. The dynamics of the world of football now mean the player is the priority, so they have to agree the destination with him and then with the clubs.
“We’ll have to see if the proposal from Al-Nassr is suitable for him and for us.”
The delays over Brozovic have also led to postponement in Inter’s pursuit of Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi, who is in turn a target for Roma and Milan.
“Sustainability is the watchword and we must try to respect that. Regardless of the individual players who might come and go, we need to look at the balance.
“It’s not that Frattesi depends on Brozovic, but we need to evaluate our own strategy and Sassuolo sell at their own conditions. He is a player of high interest to us, that is for sure.”
Meanwhile, an agreement had been reached with Cesar Azpilicueta, who will be released as a free agent by Chelsea, but instead the veteran Spaniard has now decided to join Atletico Madrid.
“I will not deny that Ausilio, Baccin and I had Azpilicueta as a player we like, as apart from his technical characteristics, he has great experience and a winning mentality for the locker room. However, he is Spanish, it seems he is intrigued by some proposals from Spain, so naturally he is evaluating it. That is only normal and we respectfully wait for his response.”
Marotta was asked about the approach to Chelsea for an extension of the Romelu Lukaku loan or even a permanent transfer.
“I don’t want to get into the dynamics. We are working as a team on the objectives we have set. I believe a director ought to be ambitious and not be embarrassed to aim high, but the deals ultimately depend also on the fee and the personal terms.
“Over the next few days, we will evaluate all those things keeping sustainability in mind.”
Lukaku clearly wants to stay at Inter, so how can this determination affect the Chelsea position?
“Let’s not forget the move was made by the previous owners of Chelsea. So the new owners have to consider whether Lukaku is part of their project and plans for the future. If he is not, then their strategy will change.
“Obviously, they cannot think of putting him on the market for a big fee. I believe the offer from Saudi Arabia was circa €50m, which is still a long way off the fee that we got from Chelsea, which was €115m.”
Inter are waiting for a formal proposal from Manchester United for goalkeeper Andre Onana, but Marotta reiterated that as of Friday night, “an offer has not come in yet.”