Inter have made João Cancelo their primary target for the winter transfer window and are working around the clock to secure a deal as quickly as possible. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Nerazzurri hierarchy has been in constant contact with the defender’s agent, Jorge Mendes, even through the final hours of the year and into New Year’s Day.
The club’s objective is to reach a “white smoke” agreement in short order to provide manager Cristian Chivu with a world-class alternative on the right flank. The urgency is driven by a packed January schedule—featuring eight games in 24 days—and the desire to have Cancelo available for the high-stakes Scudetto showdown against Napoli on January 11.
While the desire for a reunion is mutual, the operation remains complex due to the player’s €15 million annual salary at Al-Hilal. Inter are pushing for a loan deal and will require the Saudi club to subsidize a significant portion of his wages to make the move viable. By moving aggressively now, Inter also hope to fend off competition from other European giants like Barcelona and Benfica, who are also monitoring the situation following Cancelo’s high-profile fallout with Simone Inzaghi in Riyadh.
For Chivu, the arrival of the experienced Portuguese international would be a massive boost, offering tactical flexibility and immediate reliability during Denzel Dumfries’ continued absence.
Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN
