Inter have their work cut out to keep hold of all their star players, according to a report in the Italian media today.

Corriere dello Sport’s print edition said the Nerazzurri needed to reduce their wage bill and finish with a net profit in the upcoming transfer window.

If Inter manage to offload players they consider to be expendable or not essential to Antonio Conte’s squad, they will not need to sell as many key players.

The Nerazzurri’s directors must therefore get to work on trimming the squad, otherwise they could be starting next season with a weaker starting XI.

Conte is due to meet Steven Zhang today to discuss Suning’s plans for Inter moving forward, after which he will make a decision on his future.

Zhang now has an extra ace up his sleeve to convince Conte to stay, the Rome-based paper explained, after Suning agreed a €275 million financing deal with Los Angeles-based private equity firm Oaktree Capital.

Inter have solved their immediate liquidity issues and can now become a more solid entity moving forward, the report added.

It now remains to be seen how Zhang will formulate a convincing project for next season, because the Nerazzurri still have economic difficulties.