What signings do Inter need to make in the January transfer window?

Emmet Gates

• Updated: 17 May 2021 22:19 BST
• 4 min read

Inter are underperforming at the moment, that’s undeniable given their shaky start to the campaign. Last January the club made a host of signings, including Christian Eriksen, Victor Moses, and Ashley Young. Will Antonio Conte continue the habit this January and sign more wing-backs?

Defence

Inter are remarkably fragile at the back for a Conte side. His teams have always been solid defensively, it was what his Juventus and Chelsea sides were built on. Even last season at Inter, Conte’s side had the best defence in the league, despite finishing second.

This season however has been quite different. Inter are leaking in goals at an extraordinary rate.

Will Conte seek to reinforce the back line by dipping into the transfer market? It seems unlikely. Milan Skrinriar has been missing for most of the season so far due to testing positive for Covid, so his eventual return should shore things up.

However Conte may want another wing-back, as he can’t get enough of them, apparently. There has been small murmurs of another loan bid for Victor Moses, who spent six months at San Siro last season.

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Midfield

Inter have an abundance of midfielders, but not many of them are creators, and this is proving to be a problem for Conte. Eriksen has failed to adapt to his surroundings since arriving from Tottenham nearly a year ago, and Stefano Sensi is perpetually injured.

Udinese midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has been linked with a move to Inter for the past several transfer windows, and links have again picked up ahead of the January window. However, it’s unlikely that in this pandemic-influenced age we are living in, Inter would meet their €30m asking price.

Forward

It’s no secret that Conte would like a replacement for Romelu Lukaku. Alexis Sanchez arrived on a permanent deal from Manchester United last summer, but the Chilean usually dovetails with Lautaro Martinez.

Conte has also made no secret of the fact that he’d like to bring Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud to the club. Giroud was heavily linked with a move last January, and the same story could play out again in 2021.

Napoli outcast Arkadiusz Milik could also represent another option, but the Poland international may be an arrival next summer, rather than in January.

Conclusion

It’s really difficult to see where Inter could strengthen their squad without finding the necessary capital. A cheap move for Giroud may satisfy Conte for now, as he longs for a Lukaku-replacement. However the former Juve coach may be forced to work with what he has until next summer.