Inter Milan are in quite the battle for a top-four spot in Serie A, and after Juventus were given their 15 points back, the Nerazzurri are at serious risk of failing to qualify for the Champions League next season.
That is, of course, if they do not win this year’s tournament. While they are not the favorites, Inter are into the semifinals after taking down Benfica, and they stand a real shot at winning it all.
If they can take down crosstown rivals AC Milan in the semifinal, then they only need to beat either Manchester City or Real Madrid in a one-off match (a match against City would clearly be preferable).
Despite their success in the Champions League, Inter could use some more upgrades to their squad to return to competing for the Serie A title they won in 2020/21. Here are five possible transfer targets for the Nerazzurri this summer.
Reims ST Folarin Balogun
Reims striker Folarin Balogun has been one of the biggest breakout stars in European football this season, establishing himself as one of the best strikers on the continent.
Balogun has found the back of the net 18 times in Ligue 1, leading an exciting Stade de Reims attack. As such, the Arsenal loanee will not be cheap, but he will most likely be available for transfer this summer.
Inter Milan have questions marks at striker. Edin Džeko has been worse than expected this season and is not getting any younger.
Lautaro Martínez looked poised to fire Inter into second behind Napoli, but he has regressed to inconsistency in front of goal. Romelu Lukaku wants to stay with Inter, but Chelsea may have other ideas.
Furthermore, Lukaku’s recent work is a far cry from his Serie A MVP-winning play in 2020/21 when he was instrumental to Inter winning the Scudetto.
Basically, Inter need a striker. That is their priority position. They need to be prepared to pay for someone and invest in a player who can be a success for several coming seasons. Balogun is a great finisher and an explosive athlete. He is the profile of striker Inter need and is a much different player from their current crop of forwards.
Union Berlin CB Danilho Doekhi
Daniho Doekhi is on the radar of Inter Milan and league leaders Napoli, who signed one of the best center backs in the world in Kim Min-Jae when he was a relative unknown.
Technically, Union Berlin beat everyone to the punch on Danilho Doehkhi already, and only the sensational Randal Kolo Muani rates as a better signing in the Bundesliga this season.
Doekhi is still unknown despite Union’s success as a top-four side in the German league. He has been one of the top-performing center backs in all of Europe this season. Doekhi has been producing at a high level in both the Bundesliga and the Europa League.
Although Inter have a talented group of center backs, they do need one more player at the position. That’s become especially important with Milan Škriniar heading to PSG in the summer.
Barcelona CM Franck Kessié
Franck Kessié made a name for himself in Serie A as a star in AC Milan’s midfield, but he has been heavily linked with a return to the city for rivals Inter. The Nerazzurri have had great success with another former Rossoneri standout, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who has been one of the best midfielders in Serie A this season.
A more box-to-box player than Çalhanoğlu (a playmaker), Kessié can add ball-winning, progression, and an element of leadership to an Inter midfield that could use some additional steel.
It’s possible Kessié could be acquired from Barcelona in a swap deal with Marcelo Brozović. Inter fans would have preferred a trade involving Joaquín Correa, but it seems likely Barça were, understandably, never interested in this trade.
While Kessié has been fairly average for Barcelona this season, he did score the game-winning goal in the Clásico that sealed the title for Barcelona. Furthermore, his skill set is clearly a better fit for Inter and Serie A.
Tigre ST Mateo Retegui
Mateo Retegui is the new sensational in Italian football despite not playing in Serie A, as he made a name for himself with the Italian national team on international duty.
On loan from Boca Juniors at Tigre in the Argentinian top flight, Retegui has scored 8 goals in 11 matches this season with 1.5 fouls drawn and 0.9 key passes per game.
The tenacious 23-year-old striker is an intriguing, high-upside option at striker. Retegui could be eased in, especially if Inter can work out a way to keep Lukaku. Serie A fans value having talented players from the national team, and Retegui could be a great fit for the Nerazzurri in terms of what he brings to the table.
Bologna RW Riccardo Orsolini
Riccardo Orsolini is still only 26 years old, yet he feels like a grizzled veteran of Serie A. Perhaps that’s because the Bologan standout has been around for a while. A former Juventus and Atalanta player, Oroslini did not break out until he joined the Rossoblù.
A consistent presence in the attack, Orsolini has scored at least six goals with a minimum of three assists in each of his last four seasons. Orsolini is scoring important goals for his team and is a versatile forward with one of the nastiest curled shots in all of world football.
Though there are more exciting options, Orsolini is a talented finisher and a proven commodity in Serie A.
He works hard, creates chances, fills multiple positions, and makes smart decisions. Orsolini, at the right price, would be a fine signing and a clear upgrade on the disappointing Correa, who was not a good fit for Inter despite Simone Inzaghi’s presence as manager.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He has been an editor for NFL Spin Zone, Daily DDT for pro wrestling, Autzen Zoo covering the Oregon Ducks, Musket Fire covering the New England Patriots, The Real Champs covering Real Madrid, Old Juve covering Juventus, Rush The Kop covering Liverpool, and Release The Knappen covering Schalke. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.