Early UCL Exit Endangers Future of Some Inter Pillars | OneFootball

The short run in the UEFA Champions League will take its toll on the Inter finances, which had greatly benefited from the rich prize money in the past. The Nerazzurri will earn about €60M less than in 2025/2026, potentially leading to surprising departures, La Gazzetta dello Sport informs.

The club is in good financial health, but Oaktree will have to pick a lane between profitability and competitiveness and decide whether they are okay with just breaking even. If the owners mandate generating more money or significantly bolstering the squad, it would have to happen through big sales.

Inter are currently expected to let go of all the veterans on expiring contracts, Yann Sommer, Francesco Acerbi, Stefan De Vrij, Matteo Darmian, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. They don’t control Denzel Dumfries’ future since he has a €25M release clause.

The biggest decisions revolve around Hakan Calhanoglu and Marcus Thuram. Galatasaray continue to pursue the former, and he’s about to enter the final year of his contract. The Nerazzurri aren’t inclined to offer him a renewal. But he might stay even without it, and then move on naturally in 2027.

The Frenchman and Nicolò Barella haven’t been as superb in previous seasons. Cashing in on one of them would solve a lot of things in one fell swoop. They aren’t as untouchable as in the past.

Our Take on Inter

Their true level is probably in the middle between this campaign’s disappointing exit and last year’s overachieving run. The early elimination ended a virtuous cycle that had allowed them to avoid making any sacrifice s. The call comes from above, but they shouldn’t underestimate the power of continuity and the inherent risks of an overhaul.