Inter Milan Hope Of Signing Ligue 1 Defender Fades – Juventus Advancing Rapidly

Inter Milan are looking less and less likely to sign Lille defender Tiago Djalo, as Juventus make their move for the Portuguese.

This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews.

For the past several weeks, Inter have been working to secure an agreement with Djalo on a summer free transfer.

The Nerazzurri have been keen on the 23-year-old as a target for a while.

And the fact that Djalo’s contract with Lille expires at the end of June has marked him out as a free transfer opportunity for the summer.

Inter’s penchant for hunting free transfer signings is no great secret.

So the Nerazzurri have been in active contact with Djalo’s representatives for months. And the player has given his assent to the move.

But Lille have had other plans.

The Ligue 1 club have no intention of letting Djalo leave on a free transfer. Instead, they are aiming to sell the young defender this month.

Inter At Risk Of Losing Out On Tiago Djalo To Juventus

Lille have indicated to Djalo that he will receive little playing time over the second half if he stays for the remainder of his contract.

And this is not an appealing prospect to the 23-year-old. Djalo has missed several months with a knee injury. He wants playing time, particularly with the Euros just on the horizon.

Juventus are aware of the situation, and have made their move.

The Bianconeri have entered talks with Both Lille and with Djalo and his representatives.

Juventus’s offer to Lille is for around €2-3 million, plus add-ons.

The French side would be willing to accept this.

And for the player’s part, Djalo is increasingly convinced by the Bianconeri’s offer.

It will all come down to the defender’s decision – but it looks more and more likely that he will renege on his initial decision to wait until the summer to join Inter.

Meanwhile, the Gazzetta notes, the growth of Yann Bisseck as a starting-quality defender at Inter has also influenced the Nerazzurri’s strategy.

Inter do have fairly ample defensive options. Therefore, they won’t push to sign Djalo, unless it’s as a free transfer.