Inter are set to bring in around €20 million due to reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and this could have quite a few knock-on effects on their plans moving forward.
This is detailed by Italian news outlet Gazzetta.it, who note that among other things, the windfall can offset a lot of the money lost in the DigitalBits sponsorship deal, help speed up contract extension talks with defender Alessandro Bastoni, and allow for money to be spent on a replacement for Milan Skriniar.
Apart from the €10.6 million that Inter will earn in direct prize money for reaching the next round of the Champions League, there is also the gate receipt at the San Siro for the home leg of the two-legged tie to be considered, as well as various sponsorship add-ons.
Accordingly, the total amount earned that would not have been otherwise will be €20 million or thereabouts.
With this cash infusion, Inter are likely to alter their summer plans, as the owners could make much of it available to the club directors.
Firstly, there is the consideration of contract extension talks.
There are a number of players whose deals run out at the end of the season such as Edin Dzeko and Stefan de Vrij, and the Nerazzurri could get closer to those players’ demands with extra cash on hand.
Equally importantly, the contract of Bastoni runs out at the end of June 2024, but Inter would have no intention of letting the defender go into the final season of his contract without a new deal wrapped up.
Accordingly, the Nerazzurri have been pushing to put pen to paper on an extension with the 23-year-old before the summer transfer window, and on a financial level they could receive a boost from their progression to the next round of the Champions League.
Lastly, there is the question of striker Romelu Lukaku, as Inter still have to negotiate an extension of the Belgian’s loan from Chelsea if he is to stay beyond the end of the current season.
These talks, too, could have their whole tenor changed by the money brought in from the Champions League.
At least one big sale is still inevitable in the summer, and the main candidates remain wingback Denzel Dumfries and midfielder Marcelo Brozovic.
However, the Gazzetta notes, it could be the case that the money earned from reaching the Champions League quarterfinals will mean that only one big sale needs to be made rather than potentially two.
Lastly, there is the matter of signings during the summer transfer window.
It is all but inevitable that players will be signed ahead of next season, as there should be several players leaving during the summer who will have to be replaced.
Having more cash on hand to invest in the market could change the Nerazzurri’s strategy in a number of positions, not least in defense.
With Milan Skriniar set to leave at the end of the season, Inter will be keen to sign as high-quality a replacement as possible for the Slovakian.
Having an extra boost in available cash to put towards signing a replacement for Skriniar could make a big difference in who the Nerazzurri are able to target.
