Age & High Wages – Inter Milan Have Doubts About Signing Spain Star On Free Transfer | OneFootball

Age and high wages are a factor as Inter Milan have doubts about signing defender Mario Hermoso on a free transfer this summer.

This according to Italian broadcaster SportMediaset, via FCInterNews.

It is now looking likely that Inter will sign a defender for the first team squad this summer.

Nerazzurri Sporting Director Piero Ausilio confirmed as much in comments he made yesterday.

The reason for this is that Inter wingback Tajon Buchanan will miss several months as he recovers from a broken tibia that he suffered while at the Copa America with the Canadian national team.

Inter do not want to sign a wingback to fill in for Buchanan like-for-like.

Rather, the idea will be to have Carlos Augusto exclusively play on the flank while Buchanan is out.

Augusto had often played in the back three last season.

However, Inter will aim to use the versatile Brazilian primarily or exclusively at wingback next campaign.

Moving this piece around, however, means that Inter’s squad suddenly starts to look a bit thin in terms of options for the back three.

Therefore, Inter will look to sign a defender who can back up Alessandro Bastoni.

Age & High Wages Lead To Oaktree Doubts Over Inter Milan Signing Mario Hermoso

The plan to sign a defender to deal with Buchanan’s absence by signing a left-sided defender has led to the reemergence of Inter’s interest in defender Hermoso.

The 29-year-old is available on a free transfer this summer. His contract with Atletico Madrid expired at the end of last month.

Inter are hardly strangers to signing players on free transfers.

That is the route via which Hakan Calhnoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Andre Onana, and Marcus Thuram all arrived.

Not to mention the arrivals of Mehdi Taremi and Piotr Zielinski this summer.

Therefore, Inter could try to make it three high profile free transfers this summer window.

However, while Hermoso would not command a transfer fee, his wage demands would be high.

For Inter owners Oaktree, a key part of their plan to secure financial security and sustainability at Inter would be the continued reduction of the club’s wage bill.

Therefore, the Nerazzurri owners would think twice about signing a player on higher wages. Particularly a player who is close to thirty and would have little resale value.

Accordingly, Mediaset report, Oaktree have significant doubts about bringing Hermoso in.