Inter have been advised to shelve any interest in Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante and instead focus on landing themselves a playmaker in the Leon Goretzka mould.
Prising the Germany international away from Bayern Munich would likely be an impossible task, meaning that other avenues will need to be explored in upcoming transfer markets.
It has been suggested for some time that former Blues boss Antonio Conte will look to launch a raid on Stamford Bridge for a familiar face, but Nerazzurri legend Giuseppe Bergomi believes more creative options have to be prioritised.
What has been said?
A man who spent his entire 20-year playing career with Inter has told Gazzetta dello Sport on recruitment needs at San Siro: “I think there are three roles to retouch.
“Better still, perhaps it is more appropriate to talk about the types of players to be included in the context.
“The first: a fast defender. Because it would allow Conte to raise the centre of gravity in his team, trying to risk more.
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“For Inter this is a comfortable situation, so much so in Italy that they know sooner or later they will find the goal... but if we think of Europe, the matter is different.
“[Ivan] Perisic has done well, [Ashley] Young proved to be reliable. But you need someone with a strong left foot.
“And finally, a midfielder with six to eight goals in his legs. A [Lothar] Matthaus. Or, looking at things today, a Goretzka.
“In my opinion it is no longer the case to think about Kante. I consider [Marcelo] Brozovic and [Nicolo] Barella to be perfect. It is on the third name that the investment should be made.
“Okay, there is Eriksen there. But to make the leap in Europe, something else would be needed in that area.
“In the Champions League, a different kind of football is played: you need people who are fast, able to beat their man, to make a difference in a one-on-one situation. It's another story, another tournament. All this, of course, while remaining at 3-5-2 as a starting point.”
The bigger picture
While Inter may have ambitions of dipping back into the transfer market for more top talent, financial issues are clouding matters in Milan.
The Nerazzurri may have to sanction sales before adding again, while they are yet to put the contract extension in place with Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez that has been mooted for some time.
Conte does, however, have his side closing in on the Serie A title for 2020-21, with an eight-point lead held over arch-rivals AC Milan and the rest of the chasing pack.
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