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An exodus from Roma to Inter Milan could continue after Easter as Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting Inter Milan have zeroed in on striker Edin Dzeko as either a replacement to Mauro Icardi or an enhancement to the Nerazzurri attack.
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The report suggests Dzeko likes the idea of joining Inter and that talks to bring the Bosnia and Herzegovina international to the Giuseppe Meazza could pick up after Easter.
“We are not at the official engagement just because the time is not yet ripe. But they could be soon, perhaps immediately after Easter,” the report said.
If it came to fruition, the move would come a season after former Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan joined Inter to be with his former Roma manager and current Inter boss Luciano Spalletti.
One concern about Dzeko is his age. He is currently 33 years old. While that might provide some sageness to the Inter Milan locker room, it’s unclear how many more years Dzeko would be able to contribute.
That said, he could be a nice mentor for current Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez.
Of note, Dzeko recently became the first Bosnian international to earn 100 caps for his national team.
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But, Gazzetta suggested there may be an alternative to Dzeko in Sampdoria’s Duvan Zapata. The 21-year-old is currently on loan with Atalanta and it is suggested Atalanta will redeem him for around €26 million in the summer.
Gazzetta suggested Atalanta would sell him in the summer, but it would likely be for around €45 million to Inter.
Zapata has some upside to Dzeko is that he is younger (28 years old) and would be less expensive in annual salary as he is making around €1.5 million presently.
This season, Zapata has 22 goals in all contests, including four goals in a 5-0 win over Frosinone on Jan. 20. He also had two goals in a 3-0 win over Juventus in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals 10 days later.
The question here is the price tag. Transfermarkt has Zapata’s current value at €31.5 million, which is not unreasonable. However, if Atalanta asks for €45 million, that might be a little steep for the Nerazzurri, unless they get strong proceeds from selling Icardi.
What do you think? Post your comments below!