Inter Milan are serious about trying to sign defender Jaka Bijol from Udinese next summer.
This according to Italian transfer journalist Niccolo Ceccharini, for TuttoMercatoWeb. He reports that the Nerazzurri see Bijol as a replacement for Stefan de Vrij or Francesco Acerbi, and he would cost around €15 million.
One area in which Inter are likely to try and refresh the squad next summer is in the centre of defense.
The Nerazzurri currently have two main options in the central position of the back three. De Vrij and Acerbi.
Both de Vrij and Acerbi have looked fairly adept playing in the role.
Inter signed both of the pair from Lazio, where they had played under current Inter coach Simone Inzaghi with great success.
And both de Vrij and Acerbi have looked very comfortable playing in the role at Inter.
However, the other defenders that Inter have are less naturally suited to playing in the centre of the defense.
All of Alessandro Bastoni, Tomas Palacios, and Yann Bisseck are 25 and younger. And Bejamin Pavard is not yet thirty.
But none of that trio are at their best playing in the middle.
Inter Serious About Trying To Sign Jaka Bijol From Udinese
De Vrij and Acerbi, by contrast, are both well into their thirties.
The former will be 33 at the start of next season. And the latter will be 37.
Moreover, both of de Vrij and Acerbi are currently on contracts which expire at the end of next June.
Inter are therefore thinking about a succession plan in the centre of defense.
And Bijol is a player who checks the Nerazzurri’s boxes.
The Slovenian international is still just 25 years of age. But he has impressed across the past couple seasons in Serie A.
Moreover, Bijol has specifically shone playing in the centre of a back three with Udinese.
The Slovenian has the kind of physicality and man-marking ability that are required for the role.
Bijol showed these qualities as he marshalled the likes of Harry Kane, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Cristiano Ronaldo at the Euros this summer.
According to Italian journalist Ceccharini, Inter see Bijol as a serious target.
And Inter would be willing to sell the Slovenian, who they brought in from CSKA Moscow in the summer of 2022.
According to Ceccharini, Udinese would want a fee of around €15 million for Bijol.
