​Inter have secured a deal to sign Anan Khalaili from Union Saint-Gilloise, and their next target is Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Chalobah has rejected an offer from Crystal Palace because he is keen to move to San Siro. Inter are prepared to press ahead with a late-summer bid for the Chelsea defender in the coming weeks as they look to reinforce their backline after the departures of Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij, both of whom left as free agents.
Chelsea’s Chalobah is reported to be Inter’s primary target, with discussions with the player’s camp continuing for weeks. Personal terms are not anticipated to be a major hurdle, but Inter have yet to strike a formal agreement with Chelsea. Reports from Kansas City, where Chalobah featured in training with England on June 22, and from Brighton, where he trained ahead of a Premier League match in April, have kept the spotlight on his transfer status.
Gazzetta dello Sport claims the Blues’ asking price for Chalobah is around €40 million, while other outlets, including Sky Sport, have cited a figure closer to €35 million. There is also talk of a potential player-plus-cash swap involving Crystal Palace with Maxence Lacroix, but Chalobah has reportedly rejected the Palace option, signalling a strong preference to join Inter this summer. Inter’s advances come after Como reportedly had two bids for Chalobah rejected by Chelsea, and Inter’s president Mirwan Suwarso is said to have contacted Beppe Marotta earlier this week to state that he would not engage in bidding wars, underlining Inter’s intent to secure the signature without escalating the price further.
The evolving pursuit underscores Inter’s strategy to rebuild a defense that can compete at the highest level in Serie A. With the defending champions seeking reinforcements following the exits of Acerbi and de Vrij, Inter view Chalobah as a crucial fit to shore up the backline, bring experience, and add depth to a squad that aims to maintain dominance domestically and push deeper in European competition. Chelsea, meanwhile, may weigh their options as the transfer window progresses, balancing the sale of a first-team defender with the club’s broader recruitment plans and financial considerations.
As the saga unfolds, the question remains whether Chelsea will soften their stance or stand firm on their asking price, and whether Chalobah’s stated preference for a move to Inter will prove decisive. If an agreement can be reached, Inter could accelerate negotiations in the coming weeks to complete a deal that reconfigures their defensive lineup and signals a bold statement of intent from the reigning Serie A champions in their pursuit of continued title success.