​After clashing on a number of transfer targets, including Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah and Union SG’s Anan Khalaili, Inter and Como have reportedly struck a pact to avoid bidding wars. The two clubs clashed in last season’s Coppa Italia semi-finals, but with both sides now chasing similar targets in the transfer market, they’ve sought a way to prevent price spirals that goods their budgets.
Reports previously suggested that Chalobah was a shared interest, with both sides pursuing the Chelsea defender. Subsequently, Como also showed interest in Nerazzurri target Khalaili, who had been in talks with Napoli as well. The situation has now evolved into a more collaborative arrangement, as La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Como president Mirwan Suwarso and Inter president Beppe Marotta spoke by phone to discuss a pact of non-belligerence.
The essence of the agreement is simple: if both clubs are chasing the same player, they will refrain from triggering a price war that inflates costs for both. In practice, this means that if Inter intensifies their pursuit of Chalobah, Como will back off and redirect their focus to alternative targets, such as Galatasaray defender Davinson Sanchez. The same principle would apply to Khalaili, who Inter view as a priority following the sale of Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid and the near-miss on Marco Palestra to Chelsea.
This strategic pact aims to protect both clubs from escalating transfer fees while enabling them to pursue other options without becoming locked in a costly rivalry. Inter, for their part, have identified Khalaili as a priority after the Dumfries sale, seeking to strengthen their squad as they navigate the post-Dumfries landscape and realign their defensive options. Como, meanwhile, remains committed to pursuing competitive targets but will avoid bidding wars that could jeopardize their financial stability or long-term planning.
If the agreement holds, the balance of power in the transfer market for these two clubs could shift away from aggressive, all-out bidding toward more calculated, cooperative negotiations. This approach could extend to other targets if the two sides see themselves in direct competition, potentially setting a template for how mid-sized clubs navigate the market when faced with similar strategic pressures.