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Inter have temporarily halted their pursuit of Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah to focus on other pressing priorities, while the Premier League club await his departure before making a formal move for Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix. The reigning Serie A champions are meticulously planning their next transfer steps, maintaining a cooperative relationship with fellow Italian side Como.

Transfer understanding between Serie A rivals

As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter and Como have established a strategic understanding in the transfer market to avoid engaging in costly bidding wars. Both clubs have identified several common targets, which prompted a constructive phone conversation on Tuesday between Inter president Beppe Marotta and Como representative Mirwan Suwarso.

The two executives agreed on a non-aggression pact to prevent inflating prices for shared targets. This diplomatic approach aims to avoid the difficulties Inter encountered with other negotiations earlier in the window. The key focus of this gentleman’s agreement is Chelsea centre-back Chalobah, who has drawn considerable attention from both Serie A outfits during the summer window.

Como’s position on the Chelsea defender

Como have already made an ambitious attempt to sign Chalobah, having submitted a formal €25 million offer to Chelsea a few weeks ago. The Premier League club swiftly turned down that proposal. While Inter continue to monitor the situation, Suwarso made it clear to Marotta that Como will not engage in an expensive bidding contest. He also sought clarity regarding Inter’s intentions for the English defender.

Suwarso assured Marotta that if Inter decide to pursue Chalobah aggressively, Como would respectfully step aside and redirect their attention to other options. This cordial relationship between the two clubs keeps all possibilities open regarding the future of the Chelsea academy product.

Inter turn attention to right flank

Even with the path cleared, Inter have decided to put their move for Chalobah on temporary hold. The Italian champions are currently devoting their full energy to finalising a deal for Anan Khalaili. Only after resolving their right-wing issues will Inter revisit their defensive reinforcements.

Nonetheless, talks surrounding Chalobah remain alive. Inter are continuing to liaise with the player’s representatives to reach an agreement on personal terms before submitting an official offer to Chelsea. Meanwhile, Chelsea are restructuring their defensive line, with plans to assign a key role to Maxence Lacroix. However, their negotiations with Crystal Palace are still ongoing and have not yet reached a full agreement.

What next for Chelsea’s centre-back?

Inter are expected to ramp up their pursuit of Chalobah in the coming days once their right-sided concerns are addressed. With Como stepping aside, the Nerazzurri now have an unobstructed path to sign the defender. Chelsea, on the other hand, must complete Chalobah’s departure swiftly to fund their planned move for Lacroix. All three clubs are therefore entering a decisive period of interlinked transfer moves in the coming week.