Inter Milan have placed an internal valuation of €40 million on Aleksandar Stankovic following his return from Club Brugge, with head coach Cristian Chivu set to hold decisive authority over whether the Serbian midfielder is integrated into the first team or sold to crystallise a significant capital gain this summer.

According to Tuttomercatoweb, the situation represents one of the more complex calls Inter must make before the window closes. Indeed, the timing is not incidental – Inter have already activated the €23m buyback clause and tied Stankovic to a contract running from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2031, meaning this is no longer a theoretical debate about a loaned asset but a live question about a player Inter own on a five-year deal.

Furthermore, the financial architecture behind the move is worth noting. Inter sold Stankovic to Brugge for around €9.5–10m in summer 2025, inserted a buyback at €23m for 2026 and €25m for 2027, and have now triggered the first window – producing a net outlay of approximately €13m. A sale at €40m would represent a clean and rapid return on that investment.

However, the picture is more complicated than a straightforward flip. Atlético Madrid and Borussia Dortmund had already signalled willingness to pay a premium to prevent Inter activating the clause, and two Premier League clubs have since communicated offers in the region of €40m to Stankovic’s entourage, with Chelsea and Arsenal also monitoring closely.

Chivu Holds The Cards As Inter Weigh €40m Exit Against Long-Term Midfield Rebuild

Indeed, Chivu’s role is central to where this lands. The former Inter defender has explicitly targeted Stankovic as a key piece of the midfield rebuild, and plans to test him across both the regista and mezzala roles during pre-season – a versatility that underpins the €40m benchmark. Stankovic posted nine goals and five assists across 52 appearances for Brugge this past season, numbers that reflect a genuine box-to-box threat rather than a developmental cameo.

Therefore, the valuation is less a negotiating position than a statement of intent: Inter know what they have, have structured his return accordingly, and will not move cheaply. Stankovic’s buyback was identified as a midfield priority alongside the pursuit of Kone, and the five-year contract reflects planning over multiple cycles rather than a quick resale play.

Any formal bid at or above €40m from the Premier League or Bundesliga will force the definitive call. Pre-season gives Chivu his evaluation window. The answer follows from there.