Inter are pursuing Union Saint-Gilloise winger Anan Khalaili following the collapse of their deal for Marco Palestra, according to reports in Italy. The Nerazzurri had initially focused on securing Palestra, but after being unable to reach an agreement, have quickly shifted their attention to the Israeli international.
Napoli were also interested in Khalaili, and reportedly reached an agreement with the player on a five-year contract worth €1.5 million per season. However, Napoli’s offer of between €14 and €15 million was below the €25 million valuation set by Union Saint-Gilloise, who will also receive 15% of any future sale due to a prior agreement with Maccabi Haifa. Inter believe they can secure Khalaili for a lower fee than what was requested for Palestra.
Khalaili has emerged as an attractive option due to his potential and relative affordability in the European transfer market. Inter officials, including those close to president De Laurentiis, have been actively exploring options to bolster the squad. The club is not deterred by their previous signing of Tajon Buchanan from the Belgian league, despite a modest impact from the player so far.
Inter’s pursuit of Khalaili may be linked to their efforts to satisfy coach Cristian Chivu’s transfer requests, particularly for Liverpool’s Curtis Jones, who is valued at €30 million plus bonuses. The club is also considering Nahuel Molina of Atletico Madrid as an alternative to Khalaili, though Molina’s acquisition would be significantly more expensive. Other potential options, including Andrea Cambiaso, Norton-Cuffy, Ndoye, and Kayode, are currently considered secondary targets. Inter aim to have the squad finalized by July 16th, when pre-season training begins in Germany.
The defensive line is also a priority for Inter, following the departures of Acerbi, De Vrij, and Darmian. They have received a positive response from Oumar Solet of Udinese, but negotiations have stalled over the transfer fee. If a deal with Solet cannot be reached, Inter may revisit options such as Trevoh Chalobah and Joel Ordonez. The situation remains fluid as Inter seek to rebuild their squad ahead of the new season.
