Inter Take an Interest in Touted Fenerbahce Defender | OneFootball

After purchasing Andy Diouf in a flash deal, Inter have turned their attention to completing their defense with a similar profile. They have lodged an offer for Yusuf Akcicek, but it has been turned down, Corriere dello Sport relays (via Calciomercato).

The Nerazzurri proposed €16M, but the counterparty wants at least €20M and, more crucially, wishes to keep him for another season. The prospect is on PSG and some Bundesliga sides’ radar. He has appeared 27 times in the past two years and has starred twice with Turkey.

If Inter can’t land Akcicek, the next options on their shortlist are Rennes’ Jeremy Jacquet and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez. However, they have significantly higher valuations. The former is worth €50M, while the latter €40M. It’s not easy to deal with their respective sides, especially this late in the window.

There’s little traction regarding Benjamin Pavard’s departure at this stage. The Nerazzurri plot to make a surgical investment in a talent with a high ceiling who would be ready to contribute right away. However, they’d be content to stand pat and postpone the addition to the next summer.

Our Take on Inter Looking For a Defender

They can go in a number of directions, as the prospective newcomer would begin as a deputy and try to work his way up through the pecking order. They’ll need somebody a lot more established than the last time they tried something similar with Tomas Palacios. It should have been one of the first items on their agenda. The question mark is how much they can and are willing to spend. They should get one man in the door in this window, as they might need multiple center-backs in a year.