Inter’s owners Suning are hoping to secure a loan which would stop them having to sell the club, according to an Italian media report today.

There has been plenty of talk in recent weeks that Suning would have to cede control of the Nerazzurri, but as per Gazzetta dello Sport’s print edition, an alternative to a sale would be a loan that allowed them to meet their financial deadlines between now and the end of the season.

This would help Inter in the short term before focusing on the future, with Suning hoping the club’s financial situation would improve in the coming months.

Suning, who have owned Inter for four and a half years, would like to remain the majority shareholder of the Nerazzurri but the amount of money needed to keep the club operative in the coming months is high, somewhere in the region of €200-250 million.

American fund Fortress are interested but it is clear that a decision must be made soon.

There is a large gap, meanwhile, between supply and demand in negotiations with BC Partners, with the Milanese publication saying the British-based fund would have to increase their offer in order to revive their talks with Suning.

Suning are also studying interest from other groups such as EQT, Arctos Sports Partners, Ares Management and Bain Capital, in addition to Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala.