Inter, the runners-up in Serie A last year, apparently decided against trying to sign misfit Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund.
The Nerazzurri won't pursue the Swiss international in the closing days of the summer, but they might rekindle their interest towards the end of the campaign, claims Gazzetta dello Sport.
Simone Inzaghi, the manager of Inter, is searching for a new defender to increase his defensive alternatives. Even if Paris Saint-Germain has a legitimate interest in Milan Skriniar, the Italian manager wishes to have another long-term option to stand in for Alessandro Bastoni when necessary.
One of the probable targets for Inter has emerged as Akanji. The 27-year-old Dortmund player is already in the final year of his contract, and new head coach Edin Terzic has judged him surplus to needs. The Bundesliga team wants to sell their out-of-favor player, but they risk having their ambitions thwarted by a lack of interested parties.
While Akanji was once a specific priority for Inter throughout the summer, Inzaghi is more interested in the possibility of signing Francesco Acerbi from Lazio. As the Nerazzurri inch closer to signing the seasoned defender, the two will soon reconnect at Meazza after working together at the Stadio Olimpico.
Acerbi’s imminent arrival will postpone the Inzaghi’s pursuit of Akanji until next summer. Inter could rekindle their interest in the former Basel man come the end of the season. He will be available for free in less than 12 months, and that’s when Beppe Marotta looks to pounce.
But it could be too late, with Leicester City aiming to bring Akanji to the Premier League. The Foxes are on the verge of losing Wesley Fofana to Chelsea and have identified the Dortmund man as the one to fill the Frenchman’s shoes.