Serie A 2024/25: Inter set to face tougher title challenge

Inter Milan headed into the 2024/25 season as the favourites to win the Serie A title for the second successive season.

They ended last season 19 points clear of local rivals AC Milan, with Juventus a further four points adrift in third place.

The club has retained most of their title-winning squad, while several new arrivals have been added into the mix this summer.

Former Porto striker Mehdi Taremi looks to be a shrewd acquisition on a free transfer, and he will provide competition for the established forwards.

Midfielder Piotr Zielinski is another useful acquisition, while goalkeeper Josep Martinez should prove to be an excellent replacement for Yann Sommer.

While Inter should be firmly in the mix, a 2-2 draw against Genoa on the opening weekend offered hope to their title rivals.

New Milan manager Paulo Fonseca will be eager to make his mark in Serie A. Knocking Inter off their perch would be a good way to go about it.

Striker Alvaro Morata has been signed from Atletico Madrid and his previous track record in Serie A suggests he will be a positive acquisition.

They have been strongly linked with a move for Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana, and he would boost their quality in the centre of the park. The addition of a new right-back is also on the cards.

Although Milan will undoubtedly be eager to bridge the gap with Inter this season, they may not be the main threat to the reigning champions’ hopes.

That honour could go to Juventus, who have added Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram to their midfield options during the summer transfer window.

Karim Adeyemi, Teun Koopmeiners and Jean-Clair Todibo are among several other players who have been strongly linked with Juve in recent weeks.

If the Turin-based club gets at least a couple of those deals over the line, they would be well-placed to mount a serious challenge to Inter next season.

Napoli are also worth considering as title contenders after appointing four-time Serie A winner Antonio Conte as their new manager.

Alessandro Buongiorno, Rafa Marin and Leonardo Spinazzola have been signed to strengthen Napoli’s defensive options, while more new arrivals are on the cards.

They could include striker Romelu Lukaku, who previously enjoyed success under Conte when they were together at Inter.

He scored 34 goals in all competitions during Conte’s first season and added another 30 as Inter won the Serie A title the following season.

Lukaku’s previous record in Italy merits plenty of respect and Napoli’s title hopes would be significantly boosted with him in the team.

Despite this, Inter can head into the season knowing their squad and shrewd summer signings are more than capable of getting the job done. You can watch all Serie A games live online this season.