The winter transfer window in Serie A has been quite active, with Napoli's K77 submitting a departure application and Inter Milan midfielder Francesco Frattesi attracting attention with his potential move to Roma. Inter Milan currently has six midfielders: starters Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, as well as substitutes Frattesi, Kristjan Asllani, and Piotr Zielinski. Barella, considered Italy's top midfielder and in his prime, is unlikely to leave voluntarily, while Zielinski, who just joined last season, is also expected to stay. The other four players face decisions about whether to leave or continue with the team.
Calhanoglu, who turned 29 in February 2024, had interest from Bayern Munich during the European Championship but ultimately stayed with Inter Milan. However, with his performance declining, the club must consider retaining or upgrading him. Asllani, the Albanian international, has not developed as expected, and there are rumors that Inter Milan might let him go. Mkhitaryan, the Armenian Footballer of the Year, is unlikely to want to leave Inter Milan, where he has the highest attendance rate on the team despite a slight decline in form. He turns 36 this month and has retired from international football to focus on club competitions.
Frattesi, unhappy with his playing time at Inter Milan, has expressed a desire to leave, with his youth team, Roma, interested in re-signing him to strengthen their attack and improve their league position. His agent has been in talks with Roma, and Inter Milan has set a price of €45 million for his departure. If he leaves, potential replacements could include Bongoni from Monza and Milinkovic-Savic.
In conclusion, once the summer transfer window opens in 2025, Inter Milan will likely take a wait-and-see approach, ready to act quickly if market opportunities arise. The club will likely focus on signing young players with resale value and not miss out on free transfer opportunities.
