Sky Sport Italia claim that Inter could abandon the Ademola Lookman pursuit and change tack, focusing on Roma midfielder Manu Koné and a tactical adjustment instead.
The negotiations with Atalanta would appear to be at a total standstill after the €45m including add-ons proposal was rejected.
Even Lookman going AWOL from training has not put a dent in La Dea’s determination to sell the Nigerian abroad, or within Italy for a minimum of €50m.
Now Sky Sport Italia suggest Inter are looking at Plan B, which is to simply move one of their current players into that supporting role of a 3-4-2-1 formation.
Koné new alternative for Inter midfield
Anyone from Davide Frattesi to Piotr Zielinski, Petar Sucic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Nicola Zalewski could be pushed into that position instead.
Inter could therefore use the funds reserved for Lookman to reinforce a different role, specifically Roma midfielder Koné.
The 24-year-old was only signed a year ago from Borussia Monchengladbach for €18m plus €2m in potential add-ons.
He scored two goals and provided three assists in 45 competitive appearances for Roma last season, but might not be entirely suited to the tactics of new coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
The report warns this is only an idea at this stage, but might be a sign that Inter are ready to move on from the Lookman saga.
Whoever it is at Inter who is responsible for not being able to get Leoni is going to look like an absolute idiot if they don’t get Lookman now.
Trying to spend 45m on lookman and then relying on acerbi and Damian and missing out on Leoni for defense is one of the dumbest thing any club can do when you already have 4 strikers in the team
Not gonna happen, he’s staying right here.
Agree with everyone here. The decision on where to spend money makes no sense. Leoni was there and actually needed. Pair him with Bastoni and all the leaders/ national team players on the squad. For 35 million. That’s a no brainer. Poor kid is going to waste his career and national team opportunity. Lookman isn’t signing and Kone is not worth it. Who is running/ruining these transfer windows?
inter is going to spend that big on leoni.because they are already investing on u23 team. that’s why. that’s why people cry about casedel the last time when inter sold him to Chelsea. where is he today. next season you will know inter will promote some of the youth from u23