Inter’s defensive succession plan has not disappeared; it has simply been moved on by another year. The departures of Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij appeared to open the way for a substantial reset, but the club instead retained experience and began looking further ahead across Europe.
Inter postpone a broader defensive rebuild
- Benjamin Pavard, now 30, returned to Inter during the summer.
- John Stones was the only new arrival in central defence, having turned 32 in May.
- Inter considered a move for Udinese defender Oumar Solet, 26, but concerns over his physical reliability led the club towards different priorities.
- The larger project to lower the average age of the back line is therefore expected to be revisited next summer.
For the present, Inter have continued their scouting work rather than forcing a decision. One of their representatives was in attendance for Stuttgart’s Champions League match against Viking, with Germany Under-21 defender Finn Jeltsch among the players under observation.
Jeltsch draws attention beyond Milan
The Stuttgart centre-back, born in 2006, is already regarded as one of the more valuable young defenders on the European market. Barcelona also had an observer at the match, while Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are among the Premier League clubs monitoring his progress.
Stuttgart are in a strong position should interest develop into formal approaches. Jeltsch is tied to the Bundesliga side until 2030 and is thought to carry a valuation of around €40 million. Stuttgart themselves invested €9.5 million to sign him from Nuremberg when he was still 18, and he has continued his development after stepping up to a new club.
His progress has also brought him into Jürgen Klopp’s recent Germany squads. Jeltsch remained an unused substitute against Serbia, but could receive an opportunity against Greece in the next international fixture.
San Siro meeting offers Inter a closer view
Inter will not have to rely only on scouting reports for long. Stuttgart are due at San Siro on 28 November for the fifth round of the Champions League, giving the Nerazzurri a direct chance to assess Jeltsch on a major European evening and potentially speak with the German club’s hierarchy.
There is also a practical element to his profile. Jeltsch is accustomed to operating in a three-man defence, which would reduce the adaptation required if Inter were to pursue him for the next stage of their rebuilding process.
