Inter, transfer market: From Mac Allister to Musah, Inzaghi is studying Qatar

Sporting director Piero Ausilio’s mission in Qatar is over, not that of Inter. Tomorrow the sports director will return to Italy but in the meantime his deputy Baccin has already arrived in Doha. An expected turnover, in order to leave no stone unturned. In the meantime, however, the Nerazzurri sporting director will return with a new name on the agenda: Alexis Mac Allister, the Argentine midfielder from Brighton, has bewitched the Inter market man with his quality and tactical intelligence. Mac Allister is the most classic example of a box to box midfielder – to put it in English – that is one capable of guaranteeing solidity and balance across the pitch: good at interdiction, very good at setting up. He knows how to set up and accompany the maneuver, he can insert himself without the ball like going for a shot from outside. Mother of Molise origin, father of a former footballer, Alexis played in Argentina in Maradona’s clubs: starting from Argentinos Juniors, he passed through Boca before landing in Europe. Tearing him away from Brighton will certainly not be easy, also because the cost is already very high (at least 30 million): five goals in 14 Premier League appearances this year, 13 goals in 86 total games with Brighton. Difficult negotiation, but Inter remain vigilant.

When Ausilio organized the trip to Qatar, he first checked the dates, times and stadiums for the US matches. The reason is simple: Yunus Musah has long been the first name on the wish list for the Inter of the future. Ausilio got to see him both with Wales and with England, where Musah confirmed the old impressions. He is only 19 years old, but has an out-of-the-ordinary personality and top-of-the-class physicality and technique: Inter are studying the blitz to get ahead of the competition and avoid dangerous auctions. Certainly Valencia need the money and won’t make discounts, but the Spanish club already knows that they won’t be able to enjoy the performance of this young ball globetrotter, born in New York, raised in Castelfranco Veneto and who became a soccer star in the ‘Arsenal Academy. For years he wore the England youth shirt, before deciding to represent the United States (already 21 caps) with immediate success. Yunus’ price tag costs at least 20 million, a figure not within the immediate reach of Inter who are studying the possibility of taking him on a onerous loan with the right/obligation to buy. One like this shifts the balance and is worth the economic sacrifice.

Marcus Thuram was the highlight of the World mission. For someone like this, expiring in June, even the impossible must be done to be able to bring him to Milan. Thuram has been a target of Inter for years and the Nerazzurri really came close to him in the summer of 2021, when misfortune hit him hard. The story is well known: after the sale of Lukaku to Chelsea, Marotta and Ausilio prepare the blitz for the son of art, challenged in the Champions League with Borussia Mönchengladbach. Frantic and daily contacts lead to the player’s yes, but while the deal between the clubs gets underway, Marcus breaks the medial collateral of his right knee. The deal fell through, Inter hijacked Correa and invested 30 million. Today Thuram is worth more than that amount, but he can arrive for much less: even at no cost next summer, but you need to get the player’s yes in January. This is why Ausilio met the player’s representatives in Qatar, on whom other big Europeans have already moved: Inter’s proposal is serious, but Bayern’s shadow risks blowing up the Nerazzurri’s plans. Thuram reflects, but he plays with his cards uncovered: to tear him away from the competition, the operation will need to be brought forward in January, as Inter did in 2020 with Eriksen, expiring from Tottenham. Then, Inter cut a check for 20 million for the Dane, today maybe 10 could be enough to convince Mönchengladbach, already resigned to losing Thuram to zero, to his best scoring season of his career, with 10 goals in 15 games in the Bundesliga.

As above, with the addition of wonder. Here, imagine going to follow the United States to get further confirmation on a goal and then being struck by another player, on paper less flashy but in fact of great substance. Piero Ausilio’s journey has given Inter a new idea for the halfback: together with Musah, in the heart of the American game, there is a 23-year-old boy who already plays with the captain’s armband on and seems to be everywhere . Tyler Adams is the latest name on display in the notebook of the Inter director, ready to draw up his report. Not that Adams wasn’t already present in the club’s files, but watching him live increased Ausilio’s desire to make an attempt to dress him in the Nerazzurri. If anything, the problem is that Adams, 23, was recently bought by Leeds and in the Premier League he is already demonstrating that he has the qualities and attributes to establish himself internationally. And against England he didn’t concede an inch to his opponents, doubling himself in the double role of blocker and raider. With Leeds he has 13 appearances, all as a starter and only replaced on one occasion: in July the English club paid out 17 million euros to Leipzig to have him, tying him to the club with a contract until June 2027. In short, the operation is already like this looks very complex, but Inter want to sign up for the race, if there is a chance.