Inter Could Accelerate Pursuit of Udinese Linchpin | OneFootball

Inter are growing concerned with Francesco Acerbi’s fitness and are weighing making a run at Jaka Bijol in January already. The Udinese cornerstone is one of their favorite targets ahead of June, when one between the former Lazio fixture and Stefan De Vrij will likely leave the club since the ownership wants to get younger.

According to TuttoSport (via Mediaset), the Nerazzurri could expedite the plan if the veteran doesn’t manage to stay healthy. He suffered a contracture against Verona and will miss at least a pair of games. He sat out three in October with a similar but more serious issue. Benjamin Pavard subbed off on Wednesday due to a problem in the same area.

Inter will inquire about the conditions to onboard Bijol. Udinese rarely cash in on their top players in January, but the two sides have an excellent relationship. The Nerazzurri don’t have a large budget and will offer a loan with an obligation to buy. They could dangle Tomas Palacios on a temporary spell.

The Friulani can lean on a few other reliable defenders and snatched Oumar Solet in previous months. He’ll be registered and eligible to play from January on.

Our Take on Inter, Acerbi, and Bijol

It’d be surprising if Udinese let one of their stars go in January, as the offer is unlikely to blow them away, but they are in decent shape at the position. If anything, the former’s injury woes might affect his future. He seemed more likely to be confirmed than De Vrij since he’s the go-to option and a tad better when in peak shape, but he’s older and is proving to be more fragile.