Davide Zappacosta no longer priority target for Inter Milan — report

Davide Zappacosta’s less than spectacular debut season at Chelsea may have made him expendable, certainly in the eyes of the rumor mill. Inter Milan, who are looking to replace right-back João Cancelo after his transfer to Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus, were rumored to be interested in this opportunity. However, that situation appears to be changing.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, while Inter Milan’s priority remains finding a replacement for Cancelo, Zappacosta is no longer the priority target. Instead, the name at the top of the wishlist is Atlético Madrid’s (and World Cup finalist Croatia’s) Sime Vrsaljko.

Due to their financial difficulties, and fear of breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules in their first season back in the Champions League since 2011, Inter can basically only acquire players on a free transfer, or on a loan deal with an option to buy. Chelsea are no strangers to the latter arrangement, but at the moment, it seems like there is no intent to explore such a deal. Zappacosta recently recommitted himself to Chelsea as well and has been back in pre-season training along with the rest of the squad who weren’t involved in the World Cup.

Looks like he’ll be getting a second shot at impressing, perhaps under a different coach this time, though still in a system that relies on good wing-back play just as much as Conte’s has since switching to the three-man defense.