Frattesi ready to stay: Chivu changes Inter Milan midfielder’s mind

A visit in hospital and tactical changes convince Frattesi to commit to Inter Milan's future under Cristian Chivu

In just a few weeks, the Inter Milan midfielder’s perspective on his future has completely changed.

Davide Frattesi is now convinced he wants to stay at Inter Milan. The arrival of Cristian Chivu has been decisive for the Roman midfielder. 

Had Simone Inzaghi remained, Frattesi would have pushed even harder than he did in January to leave. 

Now, however, he feels there are the conditions to become increasingly central to the project. He senses the coach’s trust — and affection — and was surprised by a touching gesture in recent days. As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport via Fcinter1908:

“From that hospital door, just after finally saying goodbye to his groin pain, Davide Frattesi saw him — the coach who reignited his desire to stay at Inter Milan. 

A few days ago, the Nerazzurri midfielder, who underwent hernia surgery, was surprised by a visit from Cristian Chivu. 

His new coach wanted to see how he was doing in person — no longer satisfied with phone calls, though he continues to call regularly.

A new role and more minutes: Frattesi to become key in Chivu’s Inter Milan project

Frattesi got the message. Once restless and eager to leave, he’s now happy to remain in Milan: the man on the bench is someone who sees great things in him, ready to unleash him in a tailor-made formation.”

The next steps seem clear. Gazzetta continues:

“After this transfer window, calmly and without pressure, the club will sit down to renegotiate a deal that doesn’t expire this month, but on June 30, 2028. 

Despite having time, there’s mutual willingness to extend the contract during the upcoming season — a fact far from obvious in these parts. 

This openness on both sides highlights Frattesi’s renewed importance in the Italian national team setup. There’ll be time to talk figures, but growth (in every sense) is in the cards. 

One more year, until 2029, and a €1 million (approx. £840,000) increase from his current €2.8 million (approx. £2.35 million) net salary will likely be the starting point.”

A key factor will be how much playing time Chivu can guarantee Frattesi. So far, the signs are promising. Gazzetta writes:

“The change of head coach has transformed the scenario. Even before the surprise hospital visit, Chivu had already made his intentions clear to Davide. 

In a new system, without the old and unchangeable midfield trio, Frattesi could be the specialized attacker in a three-quarter line made up of one or two players. In short, his minutes will increase after a season in which he played under 2000 minutes and started just 11 matches in Serie A.”