At this stage, signing Trevoh Chalobah on loan from Chelsea would look to be Inter’s only realistic alternative to bringing in Lazio’s Francesco Acerbi as their final defensive signing of the summer transfer window.

This according to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, who report that the 23-year-old is still a serious option for the Nerazzurri, while Borussia Dortmund’s Manuel Akanji likely would not be.

Inter have always made clear that their plan is to sign one more defender as their final signing of the summer, with the profile being sought an out-and-out central defender to replace Andrea Ranocchia as the backup to Stefan de Vrij at the heart of their back three.

A number of names have appeared on the Nerazzurri’s list, and while they had been hopeful that they could take advantage of Akanji’s contract situation at Dortmund to sign the Swiss international, the Schwarzgelben are holding out for a decent-sized fee which should make him out of reach.

Meanwhile, Lazio’s Acerbi has always been a fallback option and would be welcomed by coach Simone Inzaghi, and a deal could almost certainly be worked out with the Biancocelesti over the last week or so of the transfer window.

However, one other option remains in the form of Chalobah, as Chelsea could be willing to let the Englishman join the Nerazzurri on loan for the season.