Inter Set To Lose A Genuine Star As Clubs Close In On Milan Skriniar

While talk over new arrivals has been relentless, it has been clear for some time that Italian giants Inter would need to make sacrifices in order to fund any incoming transfers this summer.

How they might manage to accomplish that was discussed in detail in this previous column, and foremost among those who could move on appears to be Milan Skriniar. PSG, Tottenham and Chelsea are reportedly interested in the 27-year-old, but there appears to be some distance in their valuations and the fee sought by the Nerazzurri.

According to transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, PSG have made a bid of around €50 million ($52.93m) plus another player, but Inter would prefer to sell Skriniar for a figure of up to €80 million ($84.7m).

Asked about their current position at a press event earlier this week, the Milanese club’s CEO was extremely transparent with his comments, admitting that Inter do indeed need to balance the books.

“There is interest from many clubs, both for Skriniar and for other players,” Beppe Marotta told reporters (h/t Football Italia). “We will evaluate it calmly. We don’t want to let go of anyone unless they request to be sold, but sustainability must always be kept in consideration too.”

Having played extensively in a four-man defence, it was the arrival of Antonio Conte at San Siro that propelled the Slovakia international to prominence, and the man himself makes no secret of the coach’s impact upon his approach.

“I’d never played in a back five before and at the start I had trouble,” Skriniar said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport last year. “Conte is excellent at making it clear what he wants from players, and this helps you improve each day. If I’m a complete defender now then a lot of it is thanks to him.”

There is plenty of evidence to support that claim too, with figures from WhoScored.com showing that Skriniar recorded career-best figures for tackles, interceptions, passes, pass completion percentage and successful dribbles per 90 minutes during Conte’s time with Inter.

He has continued to shine after Conte moved on last summer however, turning in some incredible displays over the last 12 months, including the one highlighted above where Skriniar and his team-mates notched a memorable 1-0 away victory over Liverpool.

That was a game that also underscored the mental and physical strengths of Skriniar, who blossomed under the pressure of a European night at Anfield while proving he could cope with the raw power and tenacity of a top PremierPINC
League side.

Standing 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) tall and never backing down from a one-to-one duel, there is little doubt that the Inter man has all the attributes necessary for a top defender, and he has improved every facet of his game since leaving Sampdoria back in 2017.

Yes, according to WhoScored, he does his share defensively, averaging 1.3 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 2.5 clearances per 90 minutes last term, but – since completing that €34 million ($35.98m) move to Inter – Skriniar has also proven there is much more to his game than being gritty, uncompromising, and resolute.

The same source shows that he completed 60 passes per 90 minutes, connecting with 92.9% of his attempts. That latter figure was the third highest among all players in Serie A and the 15th highest of any player in Europe’s top five leagues and, when noting that Skriniar was dispossessed just seven times in his 35 appearances in 2021/22, there is simply no denying his quality on the ball.

Antonio Conte is clearly seeking a reunion with his former player, and while PSG or Chelsea may pip them to his signature, Inter will unquestionably be losing a genuine star if they do eventually sell Milan Skriniar.