Inter Milan monitored Kostas Manolas and Federico Bernardeschi at Stadio Olimpico as AS Roma triumphed over Fiorentina on Tuesday, as per reports.
AS Roma demolished Fiorentina 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday to close the gap on Serie A leaders Juventus to four points. But that wasn’t the only development to come out of the match in its aftermath. That is because Tuttosport have revealed that Inter Milan were observing two participants of the match.
The Italian publication have reported that Inter Milan sporting director Piero Ausilio was present at the Stadio Olimpico to keep a close eye on AS Roma defender Kostas Manolas and Fiorentina winger Federico Bernardeschi.
Kostas Manolas continues to grow from strength to strength, with his solid performances at the back paving the way for Roma having one of the best defensive records in Italy. One of the ever presents in the Roma back line, the club has been sweating over a new deal for the Greek defender for a long time now.
However, a new contract still hasn’t been signed and his superlative performances for the Giallorossi have seen interest in him being sparked. The likes of Chelsea and Manchester United have both been heavily linked with the 25-year-old, with both Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho interested in strengthen their sides’ defences.
However, a report last month stated that Arsenal had beaten both their Premier League rivals to agree personal terms with Manolas. With Arsenal looking to add defensive reinforcements, Manolas with his technical abilities and on-the-ball skills figured prominently in the Gunners’ transfer priorities.
But, it now looks like it might not really be a done deal, with Ausilio personally scouting Manolas in Roma’s encounter against Fiorentina. The Nerazzuri are willing to offer €4 million a year plus bonuses, and his addition will surely bolster Inter’s defence significantly.
Meanwhile, Manolas wasn’t the only player who was being watched in Tuesday’s match with Federico Bernardeschi also figuring highly prominently in the club’s list of priority acquisitions in the summer.
Bernardeschi has been one of the most exciting young talents in Italian football, having risen through the ranks at Fiorentina. He has impressed with his versatility and eye for goal, scoring 11 goals in all competitions for the club.
With the 22-year-old looking to take the next step in his career, Bernardeschi was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, with reports stating that the Premier League leaders looked all set to launch a summer raid on Fiorentina for the winger’s signature.
But, Inter have now entered the mix, with Bernardeschi identified as a player who, alongside Domenico Berardi, is regarded as the future of Italian football and the ideal long-term signing to lead the Serie A club into a rosy future.
Inter’s new owners, the Suning group, have lofty ambitions, with their long-term objective being scaling back the heights of Italian football and eventually winning the Champions League. And, reports have also linked the club with a summer swoop for Chelsea boss Antonio Conte to lead them into the future.
The new owners do have big ambitions and Manolas and Bernardeschi are two of the players who feature prominently on their transfer priority list. It now remains to be seen if the duo do move within the country or head to England, with Inter set to fight tooth and nail with Arsenal and Chelsea for their target men.
