Bayern’s Peculiar Tactics Deepen Inter’s Defensive Crisis: A $30 Million Plan B for Dutch Defender Seems Unlikely

Inter Milan is in the midst of intense preparations for a crucial clash against Claudio Ranieri’s Cagliari in the second round of the Serie A season. Coach Simone Inzaghi, however, is troubled by a mounting defensive crisis. Francesco Acerbi is still sidelined and needs more time to recover, while Matteo Darmian, who has been dealing with physical discomfort, has only participated in partial training sessions. If Darmian fails to reach full fitness, Inter faces two significant issues.

Firstly, Yann Bisseck will be forced into the starting lineup, even though the young German has not fully adapted to Serie A or his new team. Secondly, the bench will be left without any experienced defenders, meaning that if another problem arises, the club will either have to rely on youth players or deploy midfielders like Carlos Augusto or Federico Dimarco in a more defensive role.

Inter’s Urgent Need for Reinforcements: Waiting on Pavard

According to journalists such as Stoppini from La Gazzetta dello Sport and Gianluca Di Marzio, Inter Milan has been anxiously awaiting Bayern Munich to release Benjamin Pavard, their preferred defensive reinforcement, this week. It’s been a situation of “emergency measures,” as every passing day feels like a crisis. Yet, much like the transfer saga involving Yann Sommer, despite Bayern having agreed on the transfer fee with Inter, and despite the player openly expressing his desire to join the Nerazzurri—seen by his constant likes on Inter’s social media posts and his visibly unhappy demeanor during Bayern’s training sessions—the German club has been stubbornly holding onto an unhappy defender.

The man responsible for this puzzling stance is none other than Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel. Despite not playing Pavard in his preferred position or as a regular starter, Tuchel is adamantly refusing to let him go. The German media have highlighted Tuchel’s stubbornness and rigid approach in this situation. It is a hallmark of Tuchel’s style: even though he has faced criticism over his man-management, results, and media scrutiny in the past for "keeping players against their will," he still remains resolute in his peculiar ways.

Bayern, for their part, are actively seeking a replacement for Pavard and have scouted players like Téte and Kyle Walker, but Tuchel has rejected all proposed alternatives. He has set three key conditions for Pavard’s replacement: first, the player must have immediate impact potential and be capable of meeting Bayern’s standards; second, the player must be able to play center-back; third, the player must also be able to operate as a right-back.

A Difficult Search for Pavard's Replacement

Given the current transfer market, finding a player who meets all three criteria is challenging. As a result, Di Marzio described Inter’s mood while waiting for Bayern to give the green light on Pavard as “optimistic but tense.” Inter has already faced several frustrating situations this summer where deals seemed agreed upon, only for something to go wrong at the last moment. Will Tuchel scupper this deal too?

Sky Italia has noted that Inter is prepared to wait a few more days, but if there is no progress in 3-4 days, the Nerazzurri will have no choice but to move to Plan B. This could mean either postponing the attempt to sign Pavard until the winter transfer window or potentially acquiring him on a free transfer next summer. However, it’s worth taking this rumor from the Italian media with a grain of salt. Even if Inter could compete with the English Premier League clubs for a free signing next summer, the fact remains that Inter desperately needs a defender this summer. Should the Pavard deal fall through, they will be forced to explore other targets.

Plan B: Potential Alternatives in Tanganga and Schuurs

Two alternative targets that have been identified by transfer market experts are Tottenham’s Japhet Tanganga and Torino’s Dutch starlet Perr Schuurs. Tanganga's situation has been covered extensively before, but Schuurs presents a different challenge.

Schuurs was signed by Torino last summer for nearly €10 million from Ajax and is a 23-year-old Dutch international, standing at 1.91 meters tall. He was one of the top players in Serie A for aerial duels last season, with 109 duels and 60 successful ones, as well as ranking in the top 15 for clearances with 97. Schuurs is a classic "physical player," possessing speed, strength, and aerial prowess, but he still needs to refine his positioning awareness and mobility in defense.

Since joining Serie A, Schuurs' market value has skyrocketed, with his current valuation at around €25 million according to Transfermarkt. Inter Milan hopes to secure his signature for approximately €30 million. However, signing Schuurs will be no easy task. Napoli made an attempt to sign him earlier this summer with an offer around €30 million including bonuses, but Torino turned it down. Torino seems intent on cashing in on Schuurs, and they will not let him go cheaply. Should Inter only attempt to sign the Dutchman at the very last moment before the transfer window closes, negotiating a reasonable price is likely to be extremely difficult.

Inter’s Squad Overhaul: Marotta’s Unfinished Business

Italian media outlets, including La Gazzetta dello Sport, have been highlighting the "significant changes" Inter Milan has undergone this summer. With Alexis Sánchez arriving in Milan, Inter’s CEO Giuseppe Marotta is now just one step away from fulfilling his promise to build a squad with "three goalkeepers and two players for each of the other ten positions." However, this final step has proven to be elusive, leaving the team in a somewhat precarious position.

All eyes are on Pavard, Bayern Munich, and Tuchel over the next few days to see how the situation unfolds. Will Inter finally secure the defender they so desperately need, or will they be forced to shift their focus to a challenging Plan B in the last days of the transfer window?