Tired of waiting for Bayern Munich’s seal of approval, Inter Milan have decided to activate Yann Sommer’s release clause at the Allianz Arena.
As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Serie A heavyweights have run out of patience with the Bavarians and are now looking to trigger a €6 million clause to terminate the Switzerland international’s contract in Munich.
It’s been two weeks since Inter sold Andre Onana to Manchester United in a blockbuster transfer worth €52.5m, but they’ve yet to sign a suitable replacement.
Long-serving captain Samir Handanovic has also left Giuseppe Meazza as a free agent, leaving head coach Simone Inzaghi without a reliable option between the sticks.
The Nerazzurri’s stuttering pursuit of Sommer has seen them travel to Asia for a pre-season tour without a senior goalkeeper, with Inzaghi opting for the youth academy graduate Filip Stankovic as an emergency solution.
Sommer has already defined personal terms with Inter to join them on a short-term contract amid Bayern’s pursuit of a younger shot-stopper to replace ageing Manuel Neuer.
However, the record-time Bundesliga champions have yet to compel Valencia to sanction Giorgi Mamardashvili’s switch to Germany, while their effort to sign Brentford’s David Raya looks destined for failure.
Unable to convince the Bees to let the 27-year-old go, Thomas Tuchel’s men have opened the door to Arsenal to swoop in and take the Spaniard to the Emirates.
The Gunners have tabled an opening bid of £20m plus £3m in add-ons to land Raya, causing Bayern to put the brakes on Sommer’s proposed move to Inter.
With Shakhtar Donetsk continuing to play hardball over Anatoliy Trubin’s valuation, the 34-year-old is the most realistic target for the cash-strapped Nerazzurri.
But even if the Italians complete the Swiss star’s arrival, they still need a dependable second-choice keeper, as Beppe Marotta examines several profiles.
Sampdoria’s Emil Audero has recently emerged as a plausible alternative, with Inter looking to capitalise on La Samp’s relegation to Serie B to lure the ex-Juventus stopper to Meazza.
