Inter's Renewal Strategy: Dimarco Leads the Charge
Pio Esposito’s extension to 2031 was not the end of Inter’s work this summer. It was the starting gun. According to Corriere dello Sport, as soon as the transfer window shuts, the club’s directors will dive straight into a decisive round of contract talks that could shape the Nerazzurri’s core for years.
They want no drama, no late scrambles. With several key players approaching sensitive stages in their deals, Inter aim to set the renewal hierarchy early in the autumn and keep any tension well away from the pitch.
Dimarco, the priority
At the top of the pile sits Federico Dimarco. The star left-back is tied down until 2027, with an option for the club to extend for another year, so there is no immediate alarm. But his status has changed. He is the reigning Scudetto MVP, a symbol of the 21st title, and he knows it.
Dimarco is described as fully focused on his football, yet open to a longer agreement. The key point is his salary. He currently earns around 4 million euros and is understood to be pushing for 5 million, a figure he believes better reflects his weight in the dressing room and on the pitch.
Inter are calm because of the contract length and option, but they also recognise that rewarding one of their leaders is not just a financial decision. It is a statement about who they are building around.
Carlos Augusto weighs his role
Behind Dimarco on the left flank, another file has been open for months: Carlos Augusto. Talks with the Brazilian utility man are ongoing, with Inter ready to raise his wages to roughly 3 million euros. The real issue is not just money. It is minutes.
Under Cristian Chivu, Augusto must fight for time against Alessandro Bastoni and Dimarco, two pillars of the starting XI. Any new deal will have to convince him he is more than just a rotation piece, that his path to the pitch is clear enough to justify committing his future at San Siro.
Calhanoglu enters a decisive year
In midfield, the clock is ticking louder. Hakan Calhanoglu has officially entered the final year of his contract. That alone turns his situation into a priority. Club president Beppe Marotta has already gone public with his backing, underlining the Turk’s central role in what he calls Inter’s “historical project”.
The message is obvious: Calhanoglu is not just another renewal. He is a cornerstone. Letting his deal drift would send the wrong signal in a dressing room built on continuity and clear roles.
A longer horizon: contracts toward 2028
Beyond these immediate cases, a broader puzzle stretches toward 2028. Inter’s management must map out a series of key expiries and renegotiations that will define the next cycle. Names such as Alessandro Bastoni, Marcus Thuram, Manuel Akanji and Piotr Zielinski sit within that medium-term planning window.
Each case brings its own mix of age profile, physical load and financial weight. The board must decide who forms the spine of the team three, four years from now, and structure salaries so the dressing room remains balanced and competitive.
Inter’s summer might be ending on the pitch, but in the San Siro boardroom, the real season is only just beginning: the season where keeping a winning squad together becomes as important as building it.
