Inter Milan are prepared to exceed their recent transfer spending limit to secure the signing of Atalanta’s Marco Paletta, according to reports in Italy. The Nerazzurri have largely restricted themselves to player acquisitions costing no more than 25 million euros since the purchase of Achraf Hakimi from Real Madrid in 2020 for approximately 43 million euros.
This more conservative approach to the transfer market was adopted to stabilize the club’s finances, and continued under the ownership of Oaktree. Recent signings such as Diouf, Luis Henrique, and Sucic all followed this guideline, with fees remaining within the 20-25 million euro range. However, the club is now willing to make an exception for Paletta, valuing him between 40 and 50 million euros.
Paletta has emerged as Inter’s primary transfer target, and while Atalanta are expected to be firm negotiators, a bid in that range could prove persuasive. The only previous instance of Inter exceeding a 50 million euro outlay on a single player was in 2019, when Romelu Lukaku joined the club following a request from then-manager Antonio Conte.
The current financial situation, overseen by Oaktree, allows for one significant investment of up to 50 million euros. Inter coach Simone Chivu is reportedly enthusiastic about the prospect of adding Paletta to his squad, viewing him as a key addition to the team. The potential expenditure would remain consistent with recent market activity, as the cost of Paletta could offset the combined fees paid for Diouf and Luis Henrique. Whether Paletta’s arrival will translate to improved on-field performance remains to be seen, but the move signals a shift in Inter’s transfer strategy.
