Inter captain Samir Handanovic has endured a rough start to the season which continued against Atalanta yesterday evening at the San Siro, while the club are now actively pursuing a successor to the Slovenian in the form of Ajax’s Andre Onana.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who report that the Nerazzurri are firming up their intentions to bring in Onana just as Handanovic’s form becomes a problem.
Handanovic has looked far from his best this season, and an ineffective throw-in to gift La Dea possession in a good area on their first goal, and a parry straight into the path of Atalanta defender Rafael Toloi were partly to blame for the goals conceded which resulted in a 2-2 draw for his team.
The keeper was saved further embarrassment when a late Atalanta winner which he allowed to pass through his fingers was disallowed by VAR as it had been determined to have went out of play during the buildup.
The 37-year-old has the armband at the Nerazzurri and is well-regarded for his contributions to the club since joining from Udinese in the summer of 2012, while there is an expectation that he can still produce his best form at times to help the club.
However, yesterday’s match was a stark illustration of the issues in the Slovenian’s game and would suggest that now more than ever the club are in search of a long-term replacement to come in soon.
Onana is a player who has long been linked to Inter, and with his current deal with Ajax expiring at the end of June 2022 the Nerazzurri could sign him on a free transfer next summer.
Inter CEO Beppe Marotta confirmed yesterday that the 25-year-old is a serious target for the club, and they could go prioritize wrapping up his signing even more after Handanovic’s recent displays.
