Luciano Spalletti has asked Piero Ausilio to increase Inter’s physical presence in midfield this summer and wants two starters for all three positions, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Inter had to wait until the final day of the 2017-18 season in Serie A to secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League and one of the reasons for this was their lack of squad depth in midfield, with Spalletti unable to count upon any more than three players in defensive midfield.
Gazzetta dello Sport reports that one of the main requests the Nerazzurri’s head coach has made to sporting director Ausilio for this summer is to increase Inter’s options in the middle of the pitch, as well as to bring in players who can provide extra physicality.
“Spalletti has asked Ausilio to make sure that Inter have six first-choice players for their three midfield positions next season, so that they can perform well both in Serie A and in the Champions League,” they write.
“That is the reason why Inter, despite already having [Matias] Vecino, [Marcelo] Brozovic, [Roberto] Gagliardini and Borja Valero in their squad, are currently looking for another midfielder to complete the department.
“Their first choice is [Mousa] Dembele, who would provide them with another 87.5 kg in front of the defence. That’s the profile Spalletti is keen on, a clear sign of how they are looking for physicality combined with technical quality.”
