Hakan Calhanoglu and Inter have decided to play out the final year of his deal without discussing an extension this summer, which has been free of transfer market-related tribulations, unlike the previous ones.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the decision came more from the team than the player. The Nerazzurri don’t question his quality but want to see how he holds up physically. He was productive but fragile last year. He missed nearly half of the matches because of a few different injuries.
Calhanoglu has flirted a few times with Galatasaray and could indeed head to Turkey after his time with Inter is over. However, if this campaign goes well, a renewal wouldn’t be out of the question. The ‘regista’ remains central in Christian Chivu’s plans. Piotr Zielinski has filled in nicely in the role last year, and the gaffer is trying to turn Aleksandar Stankovic into a deep-lying playmaker, but the 32-year-old is by far the top option when healthy.
The manager is a big fan of the midfielder. He significantly helped ease tensions in the locker room after his past sagas. In particular, the veteran had more than one foot out the door after the Club World Cup. He even quarreled with some teammates, but then the situation was eventually resolved.
Our Take on Inter and Calhanoglu
It’d be strange if things were already decided with a year to go; otherwise, the Nerazzurri would have probably considered a sale, even though it wouldn’t have fetched enough to acquire a worthy replacement. It’ll also depend on his demands, as his salary is robust. Injuries have indeed become a problem, but he has a few more good campaigns in him in a part-time role.
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