The club is following the strategy laid out by Oaktree: Sommer’s contract expires next June, so the new number one must possess very specific qualities

A revolving door? At Inter, it doesn’t quite work that way. Sommer, Onana, Handanovic, and before them Julio Cesar, Toldo, Frey, Peruzzi. All the way back to Pagliuca, Zenga, and Bordon. There is one starting goalkeeper; the others serve as backups. Of course, they are called upon when needed, but only when strictly necessary or to bridge the gap between seasons. History bears this out: last year, the Swiss number one played 53 matches compared to Josep Martinez’s 10; the year before, 43—and Audero just 6—following Onana’s stint and Handanovic’s long reign, during which he was accustomed to playing around fifty matches a year while the various backups (over time: Cordaz, Radu, Padelli, Carrizo, Castellazzi, Belec) shared just a handful of appearances. The same thing happened even when the aforementioned “veterans” were firmly established between the posts. At the end of the current season, however, a new variable will come into play: Sommer’s contract. It expires on June 30 and will most likely not be renewed, unlike (again, most likely) that of third-string goalkeeper Di Gennaro, who is significantly less expensive and, above all, useful for squad list purposes since he came up through Inter’s youth system. In essence, at least one goalkeeper spot will open up. And so Inter must dive into the transfer market in search of a starter.

Another variable goes by the name of Josep Martinez. The Spanish goalkeeper has always performed well when called upon for the Nerazzurri: 10 matches, 6 clean sheets. This year, he has taken the field on two occasions, keeping a clean sheet once. However, the off-field incident that recently involved him has slowed down his progress, which unfortunately seemed just around the corner. Pepo is going through a difficult personal phase, and so in recent weeks he has been working more to overcome the trauma than to displace Sommer. It is very likely that he will still be part of the Nerazzurri squad next year, but in what capacity? Sommer’s heir and thus a regular starter, or the usual 12th man? It’s too early to say, though one thing is certain: Inter is monitoring possible solutions between now and next summer. Three, mainly.

candidates—  Elia Caprile, Noah Atubolu, Zion Suzuki. These, among others, are the names the Nerazzurri management has been keeping a close eye on so far. Especially the first, considered ideal for his age (he’s 24), nationality (Inter always places a strong emphasis on Italian players), and above all, his readiness. Caprile had a formative experience abroad at a very young age—at Leeds—was a starter for Bari, which narrowly missed a sensational promotion to Serie A, proved himself brilliantly in his debut season in the top flight with Empoli, and, perhaps most importantly, chose to leave Napoli in the midst of their run toward what would later become the club’s fourth Scudetto to join Cagliari as a starter. Same story: he doesn’t lack personality. The Japanese player Suzuki is his age, but he risks having a higher valuation, and above all, the injury that will keep him sidelined for the next 3–4 months has set his candidacy back.

Then there is Noah Atubolu, perhaps the most exotic name, but no less reliable for it. A German number one of Nigerian descent playing for Freiburg, he has impressed so much in the Bundesliga that he earned a call-up to the national team from Nagelsmann. The wild card for the German? A contract expiring in 2027, which prevents Freiburg from demanding a sky-high transfer fee. Determining today exactly which profile Inter will target most decisively is complex, but they will certainly follow the guidelines set by Oaktree: young, ready, and with potential. And no more expensive than 25-30 million