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Currently at third in Serie A, Inter Milan have made tremendous progress over the past decade, eclipsing their rivals AC Milan, who, for so long, had overshadowed them before their recent string of misfortunes.
Throughout the noughties, AC Milan dominated Serie A alongside Juventus, whilst Inter Milan were just a top ten side. It was the same for Manchester City, who were nothing in comparison to the Manchester United side Sir Alex Ferguson led. But in the past five-or-so years, there has been a complete reversal and we've seen Inter Milan come out on top, in the same way, that Man City have in England.
Inter Milan now have very deep pockets, so they can really compete for just about any player in Europe right now and have a good chance of capturing them. But, if they want to actually win the league, they need to bolster their squad significantly in the summer. Here are seven possible signings they could make.
#7 Florian Thauvin (Marseille)
Florian Thauvin is a 26-year-old right winger who currently plays for Marseille in Ligue 1. He has also represented France eight times since making his debut back in June 2017. Last summer, he was part of France's World Cup winning side in Russia.
Thauvin first rose to prominence following his £10m move to Marseille from LOSC Lille in 2013. He spent two successful seasons with the club, before being signed by Newcastle for around £17m. However, his time in the Premier League was largely met with failure and he was sidelined as a result.
Six months into his first season with Newcastle, he was sent back to Marseille on loan and would spend the following season there, before eventually joining them permanently in the summer of 2017.
Thauvin has turned his career around at Marseille and is a permanent fixture in their first team, scoring goals for sheer fun, it seems. He's scored 13 goals and registered 8 assists from a total of 26 matches so far in this campaign.
Thauvin would be a welcomed addition in the Inter Milan squad, offering versatility and speed on the flanks, with the option to play him in an attacking midfielder role, if the manager chooses to do so. However, with a price tag of around £45m, Inter Milan may have to think twice before they splash out.
#6 Isco (Real Madrid)
Isco is a 26-year-old attacking midfielder who currently plays for Real Madrid in La Liga. He has also featured for Spain's national team a total of 36 times, since making his debut back in February 2013.
Isco joined Real Madrid from Malaga in the summer of 2013 for around £27m. A clear illustration of just how much he's improved since then is reflected in his market value of around £54m.
What could make this signing a possibility, though, is the fact that he's hardly played for Madrid this season and has found himself sidelined perhaps more than he would have liked. Granted, much of the problems occurred under Santiago Solari's reign as manager, and now that Zidane is back, things have begun to get better; but surely at some point, Isco will be wanting to have a fresh, new challenge, right?
Inter Milan could offer him exactly that. Serie A could be interesting for him, given that he's only ever been involved in La Liga. And whilst his price tag of £54m is somewhat daunting, if he was made available, I have no doubt that Inter Milan would splash out.
#5 Manuel Lazzari (SPAL)
Manuel Lazzari is a 25-year-old right midfielder who currently plays for SPAL in Serie A. He has featured for Italy's national team just once, having made his debut in September 2018.
Given that Lazzari's team, SPAL, are 15th in Serie A, the quality of his team needs to perhaps be put aside before we make an analysis of the player. He joined them in 2013 on a free transfer from Giacomense when he was 19-years-old. Six years on, though, and he's worth £13.5m in the market -- a clear sign that he's ahead of the rest.
Lazzari is regarded as the best player in the SPAL squad, so he's naturally going to catch the eye of scouts operating in Serie A. He also makes for a very easy purchase as it won't be difficult to pry him away from a club slipping closer and closer to relegation. Every player has ambition, so receiving an offer from a team in third is going to be a huge temptation.
Lazzari has featured in 24 matches for SPAL this season, registering 8 assists. He's the sort of player that Inter would most likely use as a back-up option, but would still be able to make enough of an impact when he is on the field.
#4 Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Toni Kroos is a 29-year-old central midfielder who currently plays for Real Madrid in La Liga. He has represented Germany's national team 92 times since making his debut in March 2010 and even won the World Cup with them in 2014.
Whilst this transfer could be on the cards, most people will be quick to say that it's highly unrealistic. But given the fact that Kroos is nearing 30 and that his performances have been criticized by Madrid fans this season, Los Blancos could very well be lining up a replacement sometime soon.
Simply put, he is not the great player he once was; some of his abilities that made him so special have faded. That's not to say he isn't a good player, because, clearly, he is. But he just isn't of the caliber he once was that made Madrid want to build their side around him in midfield.
There have been subtle speculations about his next step after Madrid and I think his best bet is to head to Inter Milan. Serie A is having a revival at the moment, especially now that Cristiano Ronaldo is in it, so with Kroos joining too, things could get very interesting.
#3 Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona)
Ivan Rakitic is a 31-year-old central midfielder who currently plays for Barcelona in La Liga. He has featured 102 times for Croatia, scoring 15 goals in the process.
The Sun was quick to mention that clubs have been sharking the waters surrounding Rakitic for a while now, but the fact he hasn't been offered a new contract with the club gives the teams interested a huge boost. Manchester United are allegedly the frontrunners, but at a club like Inter Milan, he would be their star player; while at United, he might be used sparingly behind the likes of Paul Pogba, etc.
He has a market value of around £45m, which Inter could afford. Rakitic could become a key player in their squad in no time at all, operating in a similar role to the one he has currently with Barcelona. However, Inter Milan will have their work cut out trying to fend off competition for the Croatian this summer, but that's the only real setback.
#2 Matteo Darmian (Manchester United)
Matteo Darmian is a 29-year-old right-back who currently plays for Manchester United in the Premier League. He has also featured for Italy's national team a total of 36 times since making his debut in May 2014.
Since joining Man United in the summer of 2015 for around £15m, Darmian has been off-and-on again in terms of his form. Sometimes he'll be played often; other times, he won't get a look-in.
Take this campaign, for instance, Darmian has played just 5 times in total. It's not as if he's sat on the bench with the possibility of playing, either; Darmian has been languishing in the reserves virtually the whole time.
Therefore, the chances of him leaving United this summer are very high, and if Inter Milan can get to him ahead of the competition, they could sign him up in no time at all. He is also a relatively cheap option too, at just £9m. United would probably take even less just to get him off the books.
#1 Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
Diego Godin is a 33-year-old centre-back who currently plays for Atletico Madrid in La Liga. He is also the captain of Uruguay's national team, having made 126 appearances since his debut in October 2005.
Godin's contract is set to expire this summer, which means he'll be open to joining any club that makes an offer for him. Not only is the prospect of getting a man as talented as Godin for free enticing enough, but also the fact that he brings a wealth of experience with him wherever he goes. His wages aren't that high either, which makes him a very affordable option for Inter Milan.
There's been rampant speculation in the Spanish press regarding Godin's next club, and with so many fingers pointed towards Inter, only time will tell if this is actually going to be the case.
