If Not Palestra, Then Who? Ranking Inter’s Dumfries Alternatives

Inter Milan need a right wing-back. That much is settled. Denzel Dumfries has completed his move to Real Madrid for a frustratingly low €20 million release clause, and the Nerazzurri are scrambling to fill one of the most demanding positions in Christian Chivu’s 3-5-2 system before pre-season begins.

The preferred option is well documented. Inter have identified Marco Palestra — Atalanta’s 21-year-old wing-back and Serie A’s Best Defender for 2025-26 — as their number one target. They’ve tabled an offer of €40m plus €5m in bonuses. Atalanta want €50m and aren’t budging. With Premier League clubs circling and the gap yet to be bridged, this is far from done.

So what happens if Palestra slips through the net? Marotta will not leave the right flank vacant going into a Champions League campaign. There are alternatives on the market — four of them serious enough to warrant genuine consideration.

Here’s our breakdown of each, ranked by how likely they are to actually end up in black and blue.

1. Guela Doué — RC Strasbourg

Age: 23 | Nationality: Ivory Coast | Fee: €20-25m | Contract: Until June 2029

The Player

Guela Doué is the elder brother of PSG’s Désiré Doué and, quietly, one of the most underrated right-sided defenders in European football. After breaking through at Rennes, he joined Strasbourg in the summer of 2024 for just €6m — and has since developed into one of the most complete wing-backs in Ligue 1.

He is a versatile defender, equally at ease playing as a wing-back in a back five as he is as a centre-back, or as a more traditional full-back in a back four. That tactical flexibility is precisely what Chivu values in his system. Crucially, Doué has also sharpened his defensive work without sacrificing attacking output: he ranked highly for duels won and ball recoveries last season in Ligue 1, while also ranking as one of the most progressive passers in the league and one of the best in terms of through balls.

In 2025-26 he registered 2 goals and 6 assists from 24 Ligue 1 appearances — strong numbers for a defensive player. At 186cm he also offers the physicality the position requires.

Fit for Inter

Near-perfect on paper. Doué already operates as a wing-back in a back-five shape for Strasbourg, so the system transition to Chivu’s 3-5-2 would be minimal. His athleticism, progressive passing, and improving defensive discipline all map well to what Dumfries provided — arguably with a higher ceiling, given Doué’s age.

Availability

This is where it gets complicated. Doué is contracted to Strasbourg until 2029, and crucially, Strasbourg are owned by BlueCo — the same umbrella group that controls Chelsea. Since Strasbourg are under no real pressure to sell, they hold all the cards in any negotiation. Chelsea themselves have been heavily linked, and any Inter approach would need to compete not only on fee but on the club’s relationship with Strasbourg’s ownership.

That said, interest has been broad — AC Milan, Brighton, Aston Villa, RB Leipzig and Real Betis have all been credited with interest, which suggests Doué himself is open to a move if the right club comes calling.

Cost

A deal would likely cost between £20-25 million in current form, although Strasbourg are not under pressure to sell and could hold out for more. Estimated market value sits in the €20-25m range — making him significantly cheaper than both Palestra and the other names on this list.

Likelihood: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (HIGH)

The fee is right. The fit is right. The age is right. The complication is Strasbourg’s ownership structure and Chelsea’s first-mover advantage. But if Inter move decisively and sell the project well, this could be their smartest piece of business of the window.

2. Vanderson — AS Monaco

Age: 24 | Nationality: Brazil | Fee: €20-25m | Contract: Until June 2027

The Player

Vanderson has been on Europe’s radar since before he joined Monaco from Grêmio for €11m in January 2022. Now 24, the Brazilian right-back has spent four-and-a-half years developing in Ligue 1 and emerged as a dynamic, attack-minded wing-back with excellent pace and dribbling ability.

At 173cm he is compact and quick, with the explosiveness and low canter of gravity to beat defenders in wide areas. He has been deployed both as a conventional right-back and as a wing-back in a back five, and his crossing and forward runs down the right flank are consistently among the most dangerous in Monaco’s attacking play.

Crucially, this is not a new name in the Inter camp. Inter Milan showed interest in Vanderson as an alternative in the event that they failed to reach a new contract agreement with Denzel Dumfries, recognizing his suitability as a wing-back with impressive running, forward thrust and dribbling ability. That link goes back years. Now, with Dumfries confirmed as leaving, those conversations could restart.

Fit for Inter

Strong. Vanderson’s style is closer to Dumfries than any other name on this list — high energy, attack-first, direct in his running. He would slot into Chivu’s system naturally and bring pace on the right that Inter’s system thrives on. The question is whether his defensive discipline is polished enough for the demands of a Champions League campaign in Serie A — Ligue 1 is a step below the intensity he would face at Inter.

Availability

Monaco have been open to selling in previous windows, with the club receiving approaches from Barcelona, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Manchester United at various points. His contract runs until June 2027 — not immediately urgent, but Monaco won’t want to lose him for nothing next summer. That creates a window this summer where both parties could benefit from a deal.

Cost

Vanderson’s current transfer value sits between €20.5m and €25.1m — a range that makes him genuinely affordable within Inter’s current framework. Earlier interest from clubs like Manchester United had Monaco asking in the €30m region, but with two years remaining on his deal the fee has naturally softened. A deal in the €22-25m range seems realistic.

Likelihood: ⭐⭐⭐½ (MEDIUM-HIGH)

The value is excellent, the fit is genuine, and Inter have prior interest in the player. The hurdle is the Brazilian’s defensive consistency and whether Marotta sees him as a step up from what the club already has in Luis Henrique. But on pure profile and price, Vanderson is a very strong backup plan.

3. Wilfried Singo — Galatasaray (formerly Monaco)

Age: 25 | Nationality: Ivory Coast | Fee: €25-30m | Contract: Until June 2030

The Player

Long-term followers of Italian football will remember Wilfried Singo from his Serie A years at Torino, where he became one of the most physically imposing right-backs in the division. The 190cm Ivorian international joined Monaco in 2023 for €10m, developed considerably, and was then sold to Galatasaray in August 2025 for an impressive €30.8m.

The problem is that the move to Turkey hasn’t worked. Reports in early 2026 confirmed that Galatasaray were willing to sell, and had even offered Singo to Inter for €30m — an acknowledgment that the fit in Istanbul hasn’t been what either party hoped.

The player himself remains technically accomplished: powerful in the air, dangerous carrying the ball, and physically dominant against attackers. He has Champions League experience from his time at Monaco, where he scored and assisted in a 5-1 demolition of Red Star Belgrade in 2024.

Fit for Inter

Interesting but imperfect. Singo’s size and power make him a natural fit for the physical demands of the wing-back role, and he is more naturally defensive than either Doué or Vanderson — which could suit a version of Chivu’s system that wants more defensive solidity on the right. The concern is his technical ceiling: in Chivu’s system, the wing-back must be a real creative outlet in the final third, and Singo’s attacking numbers have never matched the level his physical profile promises.

Availability

Very high. Galatasaray are actively looking to move him on and have already made direct contact with Inter. In January 2026, reports claimed Galatasaray offered the player to Inter for €30 million, while Napoli were reportedly also tracking him but found Galatasaray’s asking price too high. Singo could be signed without prolonged negotiations — Galatasaray want the deal done.

Cost

This is where Singo becomes slightly awkward. Galatasaray paid €30.8m for him less than a year ago and will not sell at a loss without significant pressure. The current estimated market value is around €25-30m. Getting the fee down to the lower end of that range would require leverage — and given Galatasaray’s eagerness to sell, that leverage may exist.

Likelihood: ⭐⭐⭐ (MEDIUM)

The availability is genuine and the Italian connection makes the transition manageable. But the fee feels high for a player whose time in Turkey has been disappointing, and his profile isn’t a natural match for what Chivu’s wing-back position really demands. He’d be a capable option, not an exciting one.

4. Dan Ndoye — Nottingham Forest

Age: 25 | Nationality: Switzerland | Fee: €35m+ | Contract: Until June 2030

The Player

Dan Ndoye is a name that has been floating around Inter’s planning for years. The Swiss winger was scouted by Inter at Euro 2024, became a target when Dumfries looked likely to leave in 2024, and has remained on the Nerazzurri’s radar ever since. He eventually joined Nottingham Forest from Bologna for €42m in the summer of 2025 — and promptly had a disrupted first season in the Premier League, managing just two goal contributions across 24 appearances due to injury.

Despite that underwhelming Premier League campaign, Inter remain convinced he could be converted into a wing-back, and his stock in Serie A remains high. At Bologna, Ndoye was electric — pace, directness, goals, assists, and the ability to play wide on either flank. Inter see him as an attacker who could fill the wing-back role in much the same way Dumfries did: with natural forward instincts and defensive tracking learned on the job.

Fit for Inter

Potentially excellent, but the conversion is a genuine question. Ndoye is a natural winger, not a wing-back. He played primarily in an advanced role at Bologna and at Forest. Asking him to perform the defensive duties — tracking runners across 70 meters, being the first line of press, covering ground in transition — that Dumfries handled for five years is a significant ask.

That said, Inter’s coaching staff have a strong track record of positional conversion. Calhanoglu went from attacking midfielder to world-class regista. The belief internally is that Ndoye’s athleticism and intelligence could allow a similar transformation.

Availability

Uncertain. Ndoye would reportedly prefer to stay in the Premier League if he moves from Forest, though Serie A options could present themselves if he slips down the pecking order at the City Ground under a new manager. His injury-interrupted debut campaign means Forest may be open to recouping their fee rather than waiting for him to return to form.

Cost

The most expensive option here. Nottingham Forest are tipped to want at least €35m if Ndoye wants to leave this summer. Given Forest’s current league position and the need to potentially comply with financial regulations, a deal could be possible — but this is comfortably the most expensive of Inter’s alternatives.

Likelihood: ⭐⭐ (LOW-MEDIUM)

The concept is exciting but the reality is complicated. The conversion from winger to wing-back carries risk, the fee is the highest of any alternative here, and the player may prefer to stay in England. This feels more like a Plan D than a genuine Plan B.

The Verdict: Our Ranking

If Palestra walks through the door, all of this becomes academic. But if Atalanta hold firm at €50m and Inter’s patience runs out, Guela Doué is the name we’d be pushing hardest for — affordable, young, tactically perfect, and already operating in the exact role Inter need filling. Vanderson is a close second and would represent genuine value.

Marotta has made his career out of finding diamonds others have missed. The right wing-back is out there. Inter just need to move.

Which of these four would you want Inter to sign if Palestra falls through? Is there another name we’ve missed that you think fits the bill? Drop your thoughts in the comments below — we want to hear who the Nerazzurri faithful are backing.