Inter are entering the new Serie A season with genuine momentum and a significantly strengthened squad, making them the clear favourites to retain the Scudetto they won by 11 points last term. The biggest story of the final weeks of their transfer window is the signing of Curtis Jones from Liverpool for €35 million, a deal Cristian Chivu and director Piero Ausilio had been pursuing since January. The Liverpool midfielder gives Chivu a versatile option in a midfield already packed with quality, and his arrival completes what has been a busy English-themed summer, with John Stones and Djed Spence also joining to bolster the defence.

That midfield depth now creates its own problem. With Jones added to Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Calhanoglu, Barella, Sucic and Stankovic all competing for places, someone will need to leave before the window closes. Davide Frattesi has already moved to Lazio, and Stankovic's future is now under scrutiny. The club is also managing a separate, potentially disruptive situation: Barcelona are reported to be preparing a bid exceeding €100 million for captain Lautaro Martinez, a story that could dominate the closing days of the window.

On the pitch, Inter beat Real Betis 1-0 in their final pre-season fixture, with new signing Stones scoring the winner. Lautaro and Thuram are working their way back to fitness after the World Cup and may not start the Serie A opener. Inter host Monza at the Giuseppe Meazza on August 22, with Mkhitaryan suspended for that match. It is a winnable opening fixture, but the squad decisions around it carry real weight.