Report: Inter Can Spend Only €50 Million to Replace Lukaku

Despite making almost €185 million from the sales of Achraf Hakimi and Romelu Lukaku, Inter will inject very little of that money back into the market. According to Fabrizio Biasin, only €50 million is set to be reinvested into the squad. The rest? Probably into Suning’s pockets as its financial situation in China worsens.

Biasin goes on to explain that Inter are looking to bring in three players in the coming weeks but such a short budget leaves Beppe Marotta and Piero Ausilio with very limited options this late into the transfer window. For attack, Duvan Zapata and Edin Dzeko (bleh) are the main options, with Dusan Vlahovic out of Inter’s price range. The Serbian would be the ideal Lukaku replacement, currently just 21 and coming off a 20+ goal season for Fiorentina. Zapata and Dzeko, on the other hand, don’t inspire much excitement. Both on the wrong side of 30 and are far from sure things. Zapata has only fit his best form at Atalanta and there’s no guarantee he can repeat his numbers from Bergamo in Milan. His best season out of Atalanta was an 11 goal campaign with Sampdoria in 2017/18. The Colombian’s €30 million price tag is also a concern and he would have no resale value. Dzeko, meanwhile, is cheaper but already 35 years old. He noticeably regressed last season, finding the back of the net just seven times for Roma. Dzeko’s salary could also cause Inter problems unless he takes a pay cut.

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Striker isn’t the only position Inter has to reinforce this summer. Hakimi has still not been replaced over a month since he joined PSG and according to Biasin, Inter will pursue either Denzel Dumfries and Nahitan Nandez for the flank.

With just €50 million to play with, Inter’s decisions will have to be precise to the extreme. Who do you think Marotta and Ausilio should target? Is there anyone to avoid? Let us know in the comments below.