Inter Milan are reportedly inching closer to reaching an agreement with Manchester United winger Tahith Chong over a Bosman move in the summer.
According to a report by Italian outlet FC Inter News, Tahith Chong is poised to agree personal terms with Inter Milan over a free transfer in the summer. The Dutch winger is in the final months of his deal with Manchester United and is unlikely to sign a new contract before the season ends.
Tahith Chong joined Manchester United from Feyenoord in 2016 and immediately made an impression in the fabled youth setup at the club. In his first three years with the Premier League giants, the Dutch youngster grew leaps and bounds and had been touted as one to look out for in years to come.
However, the progress to the Manchester United first-team setup has been far from ideal, with the 20-year-old struggling to carve out a place for himself despite the attacking inconsistencies that have plagued Ole Gunnar Solskjaer & co. To that end, Chong has started a mere 4 games so far this term, with Mason Greenwood usurping him.
Things have hardly improved off the field, especially with the player’s current Manchester United deal set to expire in the summer. While Manchester United have been in talks with Chong over his future, the two parties are unlikely to agree on a renewal due to his wage demands. This situation has caught the attention of Inter Milan.
At Inter Milan, Antonio Conte has a squad brimming with talented forwards. However, the fact that Alexis Sanchez looks set to return to Manchester United to get another chance to prove himself upon the expiration of his loan deal means that the Nerazzurri could do with at least one attacking reinforcement in the summer.
As a result, Inter Milan have been hotly pursuing a deal for the 20-year-old, with the Serie A outfit keen on snapping him up for free once his deal with Manchester United runs out. The Italian heavyweights, though, are in a bit of a pickle owing to the demands of the player and his agent, although the report stresses that they are getting close to securing his services.
Chong’s agent Mohamed Sinouh has lowered his commission demands from €7 million to around €5 million, but Giuseppe Marotta is only willing to sanction an outlay of up to €1.8 million. As for Chong’s wage demands, Inter Milan are prepared to offer a five-year €1.5 million-a-year deal, which falls short of the €2 million per year salary that he has asked for.
Therefore, all things considered, personal terms are still posing some problems for Inter Milan, although they are confident that they will be able to land the Dutchman on a free transfer. Sinouh, meanwhile, is also in touch with other clubs to seek a better financial solution. For now, all that appears certain is that Chong does not have a future at Manchester United and it remains to be seen where he ends up going in the summer.
