Report: Bellanova to Inter a Done Deal

Raoul Bellanova to Inter is all but concluded, at least according to transfer market guru Fabrizio Romano. The Italian will join on loan from relegated Cagliari, but in all probability, Inter will make it permanent at season’s end considering they’re paying a multi-million loan fee.

Bellanova, an Italian under-21 international, made 31 appearances for the Isolani last season, scoring once and adding two assists. He notched 27 starts and ended the year with 2,500 minutes of top-flight action under his belt after arriving from French club Bordeaux. Bellanova spent most of his time as a right wing-back in a 3-5-2 setup, though he can play on the left in a pinch. While a bit raw and far from a finished product, the Milan youth product is a smart pickup for Inter. The Nerazzurri desperately need to get younger (it has the second-highest average age in the league), especially in the depth department. Bellanova checks both of those boxes, but most importantly, he has the potential to be a game-in, game-out contributor, and learning from Matteo Darmian will only help.

An official announcement might have to wait until the transfer window opens on July 1st, but it’s a good sign that Inter is getting some of its deals wrapped up well before preseason so Simone Inzaghi has a full squad at his disposal from day one.