Inter hunting for a backup defender

We all saw last season how great a partnership João Miranda and Jeison Murillo were at the heart of Inter's defense. Though their form slipped up in the second half of the season the two formed a dynamic duo and seemingly solved the defensive issues that have plagued this team since José Mourinho the club. Things were problematic though when one of them could not play either due to injury, suspension, or fatigue. With the club fighting on three fronts this season that issue would be even greater, and the club is taking steps to prevent this from being a problem again.

There are 3 current proposed targets to serve as Inter's first choice backup defender. First there is Zenit St. Petersburg's Ezequiel Garay. Inter was linked to the 29 year old earlier in the summer and it seems that the club might be considering making an actual bid for him this time. Next up is Eliaquim Mangala. The Manchester City defender could easily be sold by Pep Guardiola's side, especially since they just brought in John Stones. Inter would face competition for his signature from Valencia and possibly AC Milan. The last target that has been named recently is Daley Blind. Frank De Boer brought his name up recently as a player he likes, but it is currently unclear how highly Mourinho rates the Dutchman and if Manchester United would be willing to sell him (plus FDB indicated the 26 year old is happy in Manchester).

Then there's always the money saving option. Inter currently have Gary Medel, Andrea Ranocchia, Danilo D'Ambrosio, and Marco Andreolli as backup options. We know that Medel can play fairly well at the back, and if Andreolli makes a complete recovery form his Achilles injury he can serve as a reliable option. D'Ambrosio hasn't played that bad as a centerback and who knows, maybe FDB can perform a miracle and turn Ranocchia into an actual player again.