Andy Diouf joins Inter Milan midfield as Chivu plans defence and attack moves

The French talent arrives from Lens to strengthen Cristian Chivu’s Inter Milan, while focus now shifts to a defender and possibly a striker

Here is Andy Diouf, the reinforcement for Cristian Chivu’s Inter Milan midfield. How will the midfield change? Corriere dello Sport via Fcinter1908 also covers the new signing and the moves the club could make before the end of the transfer window. A defender is certain, and there may also be a move in attack.

"Neither Koné nor Djaoui Cissé, but Inter Milan finally have their new midfielder. It is Andy Diouf, arriving from Lens in exchange for 20 million euros (£17m) as a fixed fee and another 5 million euros (£4m) in bonuses. 

Already today the player will be in Milan for medical tests and to sign his contract: a five-year deal worth around 2 million euros (£1.7m) per season. 

There are even chances he will already be available to Chivu for the Serie A opener against Torino on Monday.

Inter Milan had been following Diouf for a couple of days but managed to keep the deal under wraps. 

Napoli also paid the price, as they had been targeting the French midfielder for a long time but never reached an agreement with Lens. Once the opportunity arose, Inter Milan accelerated and closed the deal yesterday morning through a decisive call.

Diouf matches the profile Chivu requested: physically strong (187 centimetres, 81 kilos), quick on the break (he was the player with the most accelerations last season in Ligue 1), and technically skilled. 

At just 22, he was a key figure for France in the recent Under-21 European Championship alongside Cissé. 

Tactically, he still needs refinement, sometimes playing too individually, but Chivu’s ability to develop young players should make this a smooth process.

At this point, Inter Milan’s midfield looks complete and rich in options. With Asllani moving to Torino, there are seven midfielders, with a question mark only on Zielinski in case an offer arrives.

Inter Milan turn to defence after securing Andy Diouf

Now, the focus naturally shifts to defence, though no imminent move is expected. The season opener is around the corner, and the club intends to take its time to avoid mistakes. 

Resources are available, but the new signing must have the potential to become a cornerstone of the defence in the coming years, especially since next summer will bring several departures (Acerbi, De Vrij, and Darmian). 

The new recruit, therefore, will also be a young player, consistent with the summer strategy.

The approach is clear: from youngster Pio Esposito (20) to Luis Henrique (23), passing through Sucic and Bonny (both 21) and now Diouf (22), the average age of new arrivals is 21.4. 

A marked shift from the past and just the beginning of a new cycle. An exception would have been made for the almost 28-year-old Lookman, but Atalanta’s refusal, along with technical evaluations of the current attack, led to a step back.

Still, a late signing in attack cannot be ruled out, perhaps a last-minute opportunity regardless of age, as was the case (unsuccessfully) with Lookman," the newspaper states.