Stankovic wants to stay. Inter, listen to Capello: "He must be kept"

An offer worth €40 million plus €5 million in bonuses is said to have landed on the table, but Inter chose not to take the talks any further. A loan move was considered instead, especially with Torino’s interest in mind, but the player’s stance helped close the door on that option.

Stankovic, in fact, made it clear he wants to stay at Pinetina. There is no shortage of interest in the midfielder: along with Torino, several Italian and foreign clubs have made enquiries, including some involved in next season’s Champions League.

For now, though, the decision has been made: Stankovic will remain in Milan at least until January, with the aim of forcing his way into Inter’s squad. Only if his playing time in the coming months proves particularly limited could the 2005-born player consider other options in the second half of the season.

Fabio Capello has also backed the idea of putting the focus on the young midfielder. The former Milan, Juventus and Roma manager, now working as a pundit, spoke to the Gazzetta dello Sport and also touched on the future of the artist's son.

Little surprise, then, that the newspaper went with an eloquent headline: "Only Jones was missing. Inter without rivals. And Stankovic must be kept".

That is a significant endorsement for the young Inter player, who will now get the chance to show on the pitch that he deserves Inter's trust.