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There is little question with Inter Milan fans that midfielder Joao Cancelo is a keeper.
Since joining the Nerazzurri on loan from Valencia in the summer, he has impressed with his ability to move the ball, his quickness and his field vision.
He scored his first goal with Inter Milan Tuesday in a win against Cagliari and has notched three assists.
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While his numbers may not reflect his ability, Cancelo’s fit into Luciano Spalletti’s system makes up for the goals and assists he may not have.
Couple that with his fluidity in the offense and his ability to communicate with Inter’s front line, and Cancelo blends well with what Spalletti seems to need.
Yes, sometimes our attack has been lackluster and, even sometimes, nonexistent. However, when we are on, Cancelo is a big part of that.
So, with reports suggesting Inter Milan management is working to lock down Cancelo on a permanent basis at the end of the season, the question is just how much is the club willing to spend?
The fee is set at €35 million, but that could be negotiable. With Valencia happy with Inter castoff Geoffrey Kondogbia, it is possible we could see a straight swap because of Valencia’s issues with Financial Fair Play rules – similar to Inter.
A bigger question could be what Inter is willing to pay Cancelo for a salary if he stays.
Reports are that Cancelo is making in the neighborhood of €2 million per season, but that may need to go up somewhat considering his importance to the club and compared to what other top players with the club are making presently.
Marcelo Brozovic (€2.5 million), Antonio Candreva (€2.2 million), Ivan Perisic (€3 million), Borja Valero (€2.2 million), Andrea Ranocchia (€2.4 million), Samir Handanovic (€2.8 million) and Mauro Icardi (€4.5 million) are all making more than Cancelo.
Certainly with his contribution on the field, Cancelo’s salary warrants another look by Piero Ausilio and the rest of the Inter management. If you take rumors seriously with respect to Inter looking to add Kwadwo Asamoah and his €3 million salary from Juventus, you have to think Cancelo should get a bump, if he stays.
What do you think? Post your comments below!