Recently, "Sky Sports Italy" has compiled a list of the top 18 teams with the fewest goals conceded in Europe's top five leagues in 2024. Arsenal from the Premier League ranked first with only 25 goals conceded in 36 games, while Inter Milan, the reigning Serie A champions, ranked second with 29 goals conceded in 37 games. Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Paris Saint-Germain all tied for third with 33 goals conceded over the past year.
As one of the teams with the second-fewest goals conceded in Europe's top five leagues last year, Inter Milan's defense is indeed reliable. The 36-year-old Archarbi is getting better with age, the 33-year-old De Vrij had the highest defensive success rate in the world last year, the 28-year-old Pavard is in his prime, the 27-year-old Bastoni is one of the top center-backs in today's football, the 24-year-old Bisek has made great strides on the field, and the versatile defender Damian is still trustworthy. Additionally, there is the 21-year-old young talent Palacios. The current defensive line of Inter Milan is undoubtedly one of the top levels in today's football.
Although they boast one of the best defenses in today's football, the Nerazzurri face several hidden dangers with their backline, primarily the renewal issues with the two veterans known as the "Xuanming Elders." The 36-year-old Archarbi and the 33-year-old De Vrij will see their contracts with Inter expire this summer, and no substantive renewal negotiations have taken place between them so far. If Inter were to lose both Archarbi and De Vrij this summer, it would significantly impact the team's defense.
Moreover, the reality of frequent injuries due to age growth, especially for Archarbi, is another harsh reality that Inter Milan must confront. According to "Gazzetta dello Sport," the 37-year-old Archarbi, who will turn 37 this February, has already missed 10 games due to injury this season, which is half of Inter's total 21 games so far this season. Missing 50% of the games has weakened the role of the Nerazzurri's defensive cornerstone.
Fortunately, the German central defender Bisek, who was acquired by Inter for only 7 million euros, has performed well this season, providing a rare stroke of luck for the team and temporarily alleviating the shortage of personnel in the defensive line.
Therefore, focusing on strengthening the defense during the winter transfer window is something that Inter should have done earlier. According to "La Gazzetta dello Sport," Inter is considering defensive reinforcements such as Björn from Udinese, Hien from Atalanta, and Kjell from Arsenal. Udinese is initially asking for 30 million euros for Björn, while Atalanta values Hien at 35 million euros. Meanwhile, Arsenal is believed to be willing to sell Kjell for 25 million euros next summer.
According to the latest news from Italy, Inter Milan is also scouting the 18-year-old central defender Jumaba from Valladolid. As reported by Italian journalist Simone Tonia, Inter has sent scouts to observe the performance of Abdoulaye Jumaba in recent weeks. This Sierra Leonean prodigy possesses all the essential characteristics to become a signing like Bisek and fully aligns with the recruitment strategy set by Oaktree Capital for Inter.
From the current information, Inter's targets for defensive reinforcements either involve taking a chance on potential talents, hoping to uncover the next Bisek (noting that Inter still has a "lottery ticket" in the form of Palacios), or are options that may not satisfy the Nerazzurri fans.
Compared to unsatisfactory options or taking chances on potential talents, the key for Inter to truly strengthen their defense lies in whether Oaktree Capital is willing to invest. For example, if Inter were to offer a high-paying contract to Jonathan Tah, the Leverkusen captain who will be a free agent this summer, combined with Marotta's prowess in securing free transfers, the Nerazzurri could still stand a chance in the competition.