Francesco Pio Esposito and his development at Inter Milan are accelerating at an impressive rate, and his place in the starting lineup now looks secure.

As reported by Tuttosport, the main selection question for Inter vs Pisa concerns who will partner the young striker in attack, not whether he will play.

Lautaro Martinez is currently the favourite to start alongside Esposito. The understanding between the two is already clear.

Esposito has provided four assists for the Inter captain, underlining both his vision and growing confidence in the final third.

Pio Esposito Rise Puts Pressure On Thuram At Inter Milan

Marcus Thuram Inter Milan
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 04: Marcus Thuram of FC Internazionale Milano warms up prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Bologna FC 1909 at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Those performances have increased competition in attack. Tuttosport note that Esposito’s rise has put pressure on Marcus Thuram.

The French forward has not gone long without scoring, having last found the net on January 7 against Parma.

However, Esposito is steadily closing the gap in terms of influence and overall contribution.

The numbers still favour Thuram for now.

The France international scores a goal every 133 minutes, while Esposito averages one every 268 minutes. That difference highlights Thuram’s superior efficiency in front of goal at this stage.

Even so, the trend is clear. Pio Esposito continues to improve week after week and is becoming harder to ignore.

If this trajectory continues, Inter could soon have a genuine internal battle for attacking leadership.