Lille want to sell defender Tiago Djalo during the January transfer window, but Inter Milan are pushing forward for a summer free transfer.
This according to Italian news outlet FCInterNews.
Inter have been moving aggressively in their pursuit of 23-year-old Portguese youth international Djalo.
The defender’s contract with Lille runs out at the end of next June. And he has made clear that he will not extend his deal.
Therefore the Nerazzurri have sensed an opportunity to sign Djalo on a free transfer next summer.
And the contacts with the player’s representatives have been very positive.
Djalo has been very receptive to the idea of joining Inter when his contract with Lille expires.
This has put the Nerazzurri in the driver’s seat to sign the Portuguese.
But that does not mean that Inter are the only team still hoping to sign Djalo next summer.
The likes of Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and Atletico Madrid have all been linked with the 23-year-old.
Naturally, Djalo’s availability on a free transfer makes him an attractive target for a number of big clubs in Europe.
Lille Want To Sell Tiago Djalo In January – Inter Pushing For Summer Free Transfer
For their part, Lille want to sell Djalo next month.
That will be the Ligue 1 club’s last opportunity to cash in on the Portuguese.
Lille are well aware that they will not get that high of a fee for Djalo in January, given the defender’s contract situation.
But from the perspective of the French team, a relatively small fee is better than no fee at all.
Therefore, Inter are aiming to move forward to prevent that from happening.
The Nerazzurri have no intention of signing Djalo in January. Even with the recent injury crisis in defense, they will soon have key defenders back. And Yann Bisseck has shown himself to be a suitable option.
Therefore, Inter’s intention remains very much to sign Djalo on a free transfer.
The Nerazzurri are ready to agree a five-year deal with the 23-year-old worth €2.5 million net per season.
And they want to nail down a pre-contract agreement next month.
The competition from PSG in particular worries Inter. The Parisians could present a financially superior offer, either for next month or for the summer.
So the Nerazzurri are pushing to seal a deal for next summer as soon as they can.