Inter Milan are running contingency plans on the right flank with Strasbourg’s Guela Doué identified as the primary fallback should the Anan Khalaili deal collapse, with three further alternatives already under consideration by the Nerazzurri hierarchy.

According to TUTTOmercatoWEB, with the CONI verdict on Khalaili’s medical and eligibility status still pending, Inter have moved immediately to reopen the right-sided dossier rather than wait on an uncertain outcome. The club had already seen a deal for Marco Palestra fall through earlier in the window before settling on the Union Saint-Gilloise midfielder.

Doué – the 2002-born Ivorian right-back, and brother of Desiré – is the lead candidate, a profile initially flagged by the Gazzetta dello Sport in recent weeks. His game is more defensively anchored than Palestra or Khalaili, functioning as a genuine full-back rather than an inverted winger, but he impressed at the recent World Cup and is viewed as a strong fit for Cristian Chivu’s system.

Strasbourg defender wearing a white football jersey with blue stripes on the field.

Strasbourg’s Valuation Complicates Doué Pursuit

The sticking point is price. Strasbourg are demanding in excess of €25 million for the Ivorian – a figure that already exceeds what Inter had agreed with Union Saint-Gilloise for Khalaili – though personal terms with Doué are not expected to be a problem. Contacts with his entourage have been re-established, but closing a deal with the French club will require work.

Meanwhile, three further names sit further down Inter’s list. Dodô of Fiorentina and Genoa’s Brooke Norton-Cuffy are both being monitored, though both rank behind Doué in the club’s order of preference. Rafik Belghali of Hellas Verona – who caught attention with a strong Algerian national team campaign – is the third option on the radar.

Dodo, Fiorentina defender, wearing purple kit, poised on a patterned background.

The Nerazzurri’s approach mirrors the broader defensive contingency framework Inter have applied across positions this summer – multiple named targets at different price points, no single dependency. The CONI decision on Khalaili will determine how urgently this contingency list becomes a live operation.