Inter Milan One Step Away From Signing Independiente Rivadivia Starlet – Key Talks Today | OneFootball

Inter Milan are one step away from completing a deal to sign defender Tomas Palacios from Independiente Rivadivia.

This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews. They report that today is the day for key talks between the two clubs.

Inter have now fully set their sights on Palacios as their defensive reinforcement for the summer.

The Nerazzurri have spent well over a month considering their options for the backline.

This followed a serious injury to wingback to Tajon Buchanan. The Canadian is set to be out for the first several months of the season after suffering a broken leg during the summer.

Rather than sign a like-for-like replacement to cover for Buchanan, Inter’s plan has been to reshuffle the team to make up for the 25-year-old’s absence.

Carlos Augusto will play more or less exclusively at wingback while Buchanan is out.

And since Augusto had frequently deputized on the left of the back three last season, Inter must sign a new defender for that role.

Inter Milan One Step Away From Signing Tomas Palacios

There were plenty of possible defensive targets that Inter considered.

A key factor in the Nerazzurri’s search has been the insistence of owners Oaktree Capital on signing a young player with room to grow and potential resale value.

In the end, Inter have focused on 21-year-old Argentine defender Palacios.

Palacios is owned by Talleres, but has been on loan at Independiente Rivadivia.

The 21-year-old’s ownership situation has been perhaps the biggest hurdle to a deal.

Considering that Rivadivia had a purchase option, Inter could not sign Palacios directly from Talleres.

Therefore, Rivadivia and Talleres had to work out the structure of a deal between themselves. The two clubs have been in talks for the past few days.

But now all of that is out of the way.

Rivadivia have purchased Palacios. And representatives of the Argentine club are now in Milan for talks with Inter.

There was also other transfer interest in Palacios. Particularly from clubs in the Bundesliga.

But according to the Gazzetta, the personal work of Inter Vice-President Javier Zanetti played an important role in the Nerazzurri winning the race to sign the 21-year-old.