Inter Milan’s forward recruitment has reached a crossroads: if their renewed bid for Atalanta striker Ademola Lookman is rebuffed, the Nerazzurri will turn their attention to Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku and Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa, with the French forward emerging as the top alternative.
As a key target on Chelsea’s summer clearance list, Nkunku is seen by Inter as a cost-effective option. Talks are underway for a deal structured as a loan with a €35 million obligatory buyout clause – a setup that would allow Chelsea to amortize the fee over two years, aiding their financial books. However, Nkunku’s €6.5 million after-tax annual salary has become the trickiest hurdle at the negotiating table, with Inter currently in talks with the Blues to resolve this issue.
The other target, Chiesa, has left Inter hesitant due to injury concerns: the Italian forward made only sporadic appearances last season, and doubts over his recovery to peak form have led the club to hold off on pushing the deal aggressively.
