The club continues to follow the line dictated by Oaktree: Sommer’s contract expires next June, so the new number one must have very specific characteristics.

Revolving doors? Not quite how things work at Inter. 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 are backup. Of course, they are used when needed, but only when strictly necessary or to ease the transition between seasons. History tells us this: last year, the Swiss number one played 53 games compared to Josep Martinez’s 10, and 43 the year before – with Audero playing just six – after Onana’s spell and Handanovic’s long reign, accustomed to playing around 50 games a year while the various deputies (over time: Cordaz, Radu, Padelli, Carrizo, Castellazzi, Belec) shared a handful of appearances. The same thing happened even when the aforementioned ‘oldies’ were permanently between the posts. At the end of the current season, however, there will be an additional variable: Sommer’s contract. It will expire on June 30 and will most likely not be renewed, unlike (again, most likely) that of third goalkeeper Di Gennaro, who is significantly less expensive and, above all, useful for roster purposes, having come up through the Nerazzurri youth system. In essence, at least one slot in goal will become available. And so Inter is called upon to dive into the market in search of a starter.
Another variable is Josep Martinez. The Spanish goalkeeper has always performed well when playing for the Nerazzurri: 10 games, 6 clean sheets. This year, he has taken the field twice, keeping a clean sheet once. However, recent off-field events have slowed his progress, which unfortunately seemed to be just around the corner. Pepo is going through a difficult time on a personal level, so in recent weeks he has been working more to overcome the trauma than to unseat 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 therefore a regular starter or the usual 12th man? It is too early to say, although it is certain that Inter are monitoring possible solutions between now and next summer. Three, mainly.

Candidates—  Elia Caprile, Noah Atubolu, Zion Suzuki. These, but not only, are the names that the Nerazzurri management has been following with particular interest so far. Especially the first, considered ideal for his age (he is 24), nationality (Inter always focuses strongly on the Italian team) and, above all, readiness. Caprile had a formative experience abroad at a very young age—Leeds—and was a starter for Bari, which came close to a sensational promotion to Serie A. He confirmed his talent in his debut season in the top flight with Empoli and, perhaps most importantly, chose to leave Napoli in the midst of what would become the club’s fourth Scudetto in history to go to Cagliari as a starter. The same goes for him: he has no shortage of personality. The Japanese player Suzuki is the same age, but he is likely to be rated higher 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. The German number one of Nigerian origin from Freiburg has impressed so much in the Bundesliga that he earned a call-up from Nagelsmann to the national team. The German’s trump card? A contract expiring in 2027, which prevents Freiburg from demanding an exorbitant transfer fee. It is difficult to determine today which profile Inter will focus on most decisively, but they will certainly follow the guidelines dictated by Oaktree: young, ready, with potential. And no more expensive than €25-30 million.