Inter Milan's Renewal Strategy After Pio Esposito Extension
With Pio Esposito tied down until 2031, Inter Milan have wasted no time lining up the next phase of their long-term project. The contract for the academy jewel is done; now the real work begins in the boardroom.
Once the summer transfer window shuts, the club hierarchy will dive back into a packed agenda of renewals, determined to lock in the spine of Simone Inzaghi’s Scudetto-winning squad and avoid any contract sagas later in the season. The idea is simple: sort the hierarchy of deals early in autumn, keep the dressing room calm, and protect the sporting project.
Dimarco at the top of the list
Front and centre is Federico Dimarco.
The left-back, MVP of last season’s Scudetto triumph, is under contract until 2027 with an option for an extra year. On paper, Inter are covered. In reality, everyone at the club knows his status demands a new agreement.
Dimarco is understood to be open to extending his stay and is pushing for a salary rise from 4 million to 5 million euros. Not a power play, but a request in line with his weight in the squad and his role in delivering the club’s 21st league title. The message from inside Appiano Gentile is clear: negotiations are ongoing, the player is calm, and his focus remains on the pitch while the directors handle the numbers.
Carlos Augusto weighs role against reward
Just behind Dimarco on the renewal ladder sits Carlos Augusto, whose situation is more nuanced. Talks have been running for months, with Inter ready to lift his salary to around 3 million euros.
The real issue is not only money. It is minutes.
With Alessandro Bastoni and Dimarco ahead of him in Cristian Chivu’s plans, the Brazilian must decide what he wants his next years at San Siro to look like. Inter value his versatility and want him locked in, but the final step in the negotiations will depend on how strongly he pushes for a more prominent role.
Calhanoglu enters decisive territory
Hakan Calhanoglu has officially stepped into the final year of his contract, a milestone that automatically raises the stakes.
President Beppe Marotta has already gone public with his backing for the playmaker, underlining how central Calhanoglu is to Inter’s “historical project”. The intention from the club side is clear: avoid letting a cornerstone of the midfield drift towards free agency and send a signal that the core of the team remains untouchable.
A longer horizon of decisions
Beyond these immediate files, the calendar of expiries stretches out toward 2028 and demands careful planning. Inter cannot afford to sleep on it.
Key figures such as Alessandro Bastoni, Marcus Thuram, Manuel Akanji and Piotr Zielinski will all need strategic decisions over the coming seasons. Age profiles, physical workloads, and the club’s financial structure will all feed into how those talks are staged and staggered.
The transfer window may be closing, but inside the San Siro offices another season is only just starting: the relentless, decisive season of renewals that will shape what Inter look like for the rest of the decade.
