Inter Milan Waiting Patiently For Ex West Ham United Striker To Return – Won’t Sign An Emergency Replacement

Inter Milan are still waiting patiently for Marko Arnautovic to return from injury, and will not sign an emergency replacement.

This according to today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper La Stampa, via FCInter1908.

Inter’s shorthandedness in attack was laid bare during the team’s Serie A draw against Bologna yesterday.

The Nerazzurri were chasing a goal for much of the second half. However, they largely struggled to really get at the Rossoblu backline.

As La Stampa notes, the lack of a proper Number Nine who could act as a physical reference point for the attack was evident.

Lautaro Martinez and Alexis Sanchez were the front pairing after Marcus Thuram came off the pitch.

But for all their qualities, neither of the pair are an out-and-out centre-forward.

This meant that there wasn’t really a player in the penalty area who could break through the Bologna defense, or at least not on a reliable basis.

Therefore, there could be one or two worries about the matches after the international break. Until Arnautovic is back, Inter won’t have a player who can lead the line as a true centre-forward.

Inter Milan Won’t Sign Emergency Marko Arnautovic Replacement

The player who Inter brought in in the summer to be their central striker was Arnautovic.

The former West Ham United and Stoke City striker can certainly be a physical presence in attack.

But Arnautovic has been out with a thigh injury since Inter’s match against Empoli last month.

And it will still be a few weeks until the 34-year-old can return. He won’t be back until some point in November.

This has led to one or two suggestions that the Nerazzurri could intervene in the transfer market. There could be players available on free transfers who could bolster the attack in the short term.

But according to La Stampa, Inter have no plans of doing so.

The Nerazzurri will wait patiently for Arnautovic to get back to fitness. And then they’ll rely on what they already have in the meantime.

The fact that the Austrian could return earlier than expected may prove to be a boost in this respect.