Something is simmering at Appiano Gentile, and it has the distinct smell of a big central defensive reinforcement. GoalZaza has learned that Inter are...
Something is simmering at Appiano Gentile, and it has the distinct smell of a big central defensive reinforcement. GoalZaza has learned that Inter are keeping a very close eye on Roma's Gianluca Mancini, with contract negotiations at the Stadio Olimpico stalling badly. This is not idle gossip from the training ground car park. This feels like a transfer with real legs.Let's be honest about what Mancini offers. He isn't just another body for the rotation. He is a bruising, ball playing centre back who can step into the midfield and ping a 40 yard pass. For a team like Inter, who sometimes find themselves pinned deep by a low block, having a defender who can break the lines with a pass is gold dust. Simone Inzaghi loves defenders who can think as well as tackle, and Mancini ticks both boxes with a bit of nasty aggression thrown in for good measure.The situation in Rome is the real crux here. When a player of Mancini's calibre lets his contract talks drift, agents start making phone calls and directors start sharpening their pencils. Roma are playing a dangerous game. They risk losing a fan favourite and a key figure in their defensive spine. For Inter, this is a classic opportunist move. They can smell the hesitation across the capital and they are ready to pounce. If Roma bottle this, they could be handing a direct rival a massive piece of business. This one is going to go down to the wire, and frankly, every Nerazzurri fan should be watching the contract clock tick down in Rome.
