The signing of defender Tomas Palacios at the end of the transfer window was a genuinely unexpected development for Inter Milan.
This according to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInterNews.
Inter finished the summer transfer window having made a grand total of four signings for the senior squad.
That is a far cry from last summer, which had seen twelve new players arrive.
Clearly, Inter’s priority this summer was to not tamper with the team that won the Serie A title last season.
There were two big name free transfer signings in Mehdi Taremi and Piotr Zielinski.
Inter had arranged both of those signings months in advance, aiming to bolster their strength in depth.
Then, there was the signing of goalkeeper Josep Martinez from Genoa. The Spaniard is the player Inter decided upon as the long-term replacement for Yann Sommer.
Having gotten all of those signings out of the way by the start of June, Inter had intention of remaining dormant for the rest of the transfer window.
Tomas Palacios Arrival At Inter Milan An Unexpected One
But there are always surprises in football. And particularly in the transfer market.
Inter remained prepared to act if any surprise developments emerged, whether pleasant or unpleasant.
And it certainly came as a shock when wingback Tajon Buchanan suffered a serious leg break while training with the Canadian national team at the Copa America.
That injury means that Buchanan will be out for several months at the start of this season.
And as has become a familiar story by now, Inter decided to cover for the 25-year-old not by signing a wingback, but by signing a defender and moving Carlos Augusto exclusively to the flank.
Inter considered multiple options for the defense.
But it was 21-year-old Argentine Palacios who checked the boxes Inter are looking for.
Palacios has the right profile to cover for Alessandro Bastoni on the left of the Nerazzurri’s back three. And considering his age, he has room to grow and resale value, as owners Oaktree Capital asked for.
So Inter completed a deal to sign Palacios.
It proved to be a bit of a transfer saga, lasting right until transfer deadline day. But the Nerazzurri got it over the line.
But as the Corriere stress, Inter would not have considered moving for Palacios had it now for Buchanan’s serious injury.
Were it not for the Canadian’s leg break, Inter were prepared to finish their transfer window in July, sticking with what they had,.
