There are to be further talks between Inter and Roma today over a possible swap deal involving Alexis Sanchez and Edin Dzeko, according to an Italian media report.
As per Gazzetta dello Sport, things have moved quickly as far as a deal possibly being done is concerned but the difference in the players’ salaries before tax is €4 million and this represents a major obstacle in negotiations.
Suning, who are in negotiations with BC Partners to sell Inter, cannot spend a single penny more on Dzeko’s wages than they do now for Sanchez.
The two sides are working to bridge the gap and there has been no shortage of contact, not just by telephone but also in the flesh as the clubs’ sporting directors met last night in a hotel in Milan.
Inter’s Piero Ausilio and Roma’s Tiago Pinto will meet again today to try and work out how a deal can be done.
One option would be for Roma to agree to pay a sum of cash to make up the difference, although Inter could even include another player of theirs in the deal such as Andrea Pinamonti.
Inter are also weighing up a deal for Dzeko, who Antonio Conte loves, from a technical point of view, because the Bosnian’s arrival could take playing time away from the highly-rated Lautaro Martinez.
The Nerazzurri are currently happy with their front two of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro, but El Toro is not clinical in front of goal and Dzeko could provide more of this.
The report goes on to conclude that Sanchez is open to moving to Roma given he is not exactly playing much, despite Conte reiterating his importance to the team on several occasions.
