The Newest Names For Inter Milan Bench: Who Will Be The Next Nerazzurri Star?

Inter Milan had to settle for second best in the end after the 2024/25 campaign had promised so much.

The Nerazzurri ended up finishing the Serie A season just one point behind title winners Napoli and were well beaten in the Champions League final by Paris Saint-Germain. In the Coppa Italia, meanwhile, Inter were defeated by city rivals AC Milan over two legs.

The club will be determined to return to the top this time around, though it will have to navigate a fair bit of change heading into the new season. This article will look ahead to the 2025/26 campaign for Inter which will start with the Club World Cup.

The New Manager

After the season fizzled out, having offered so much potential for success, many fans what the summer would hold. Soon after losing the European Cup at the Allianz Arena, Simone Inzaghi left the San Siro hotseat after four years to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

The Nerrazzuri were hammered by PSG in the Champions League showpiece on what was a desperately disappointing night for the club and it’s supporter base. For those placing bets on the outcome, while the French champions were impressive, nobody would have expected such a demolition when the game kicked off, with many expecting an even contest.

“The time has come for me to say goodbye to this club after a four-year journey, during which I gave everything,” Inzaghi said as he made his exit.

“I want to dedicate one last word to the millions of Nerazzurri (Inter) fans who cheered me on, cried and suffered in difficult moments and laughed and celebrated in the six triumphs we experienced together. I will never forget you.

Replacing Inzaghi is former Inter defender Cristian Chivu who enjoyed plenty of success with the Nerrazzuri as a player. The centre-back, who is now 44, won three league titles with Inter, the Coppa Italia twice and, of course, the Champions League with Jose Mourinho in 2010.

The new boss, who was a Romania international, joins having helped keep Parma in Serie A after taking charge of the Crusaders’ last 13 league matches. Before that, though, he learned his trade with Inter, coaching the Under 14s, Under 17s, Under 18s and Under 19s and climbing the ranks between 2018 and 2014.

On appointing the former player who made 168 appearances for the club, Inter said: ‘(Chivu has) gone through experiences and challenges of enormous importance, events that have shaped him as a man and a professional, binding him inextricably to the black and blue colours’.

Rumoured Targets & Possible Outgoings At Inter Milan

Inter are one of the biggest clubs in Europe and so as with every summer, the club are being linked to a whole host of players.

Davide Frattesi has been a reported target for Premier League clubs Tottenham and Nottingham Forest in recent times but is expected to play a key role under Chivu this season.

Midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, meanwhile, is interesting clubs in the Saudi Pro League according to the media. Forward Marko Arnautovic, who made 28 appearances in all competitions last season, has left the San Siro after his contract came to an end.

Who Are The Inter Milan Youngsters Called Up To the First-Team?

Due to an injury list which continued to grow last season, Inter resorted to the Primavera squad at various stages.

Competing on several fronts had clearly taken its toll on the squad and despite possessing enviable depth former manager Inzaghi had to find some emergency solutions to ensure the bench was full each game. The boss handed call-ups to some of the club’s most promising youngsters and it is hoped they will make the grade and establish themselves as first-team regulars in the future.

So, let’s take a closer look at some of the talented young men who joined the first team recently.

Gabriele Re Cecconi

The Rho native is a 19-year-old defender who has been developing his game at Appiano Gentile from a tender age. He primarily plays as a centre-back, but can also feature as a right-back.

Luka Topalovic

Inter poached the 19-year-old Slovenian from NK Domzale last summer. He immediately established himself as one of the best jewels at the club. The midfielder has thus far made 43 appearances in all competitions for the youth side, contributing with 11 goals and five assists.

In May, Topalovic made his first-team debut, coming on in the 80th minute of the final game of the Serie A season as the Nerrazzuri won 2-0 away at Como.

Thomas Berenbruch

The 19-year-old is an Italian midfielder of German origin who has been part of Inter’s youth ranks since 2020.  Berenbruch has been one of the most exciting youngsters at the club for quite some time now. This season, he produced 11 goals and four assists in 31 appearances for the youth side.

Berenburch made his maiden appearance for the first team in March, coming on to replace Frattesi in the 2-1 Champions League win over Feyenoord and so Chivu will likely call on him.

Matteo Spinacce

The 18-year-old is an Italian striker who started his career at Pordenone’s academy before moving to Inter in 2020. This season, he scored 12 goals and provided his teammates with two assists in his 44 appearances and will feature for the Under 23s in the 2025/26 campaign.

Club World Cup

Inter and Chivu have a busy summer ahead as they take part in the FIFA Club World Cup having qualified as the fourth-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking system.

The Nerrazzuri, drawn in Group E of the 32-team competition,will first take on Mexican giants Monterrey at the Rose Bowl before taking on Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds in Seattle where they will also face River Plate.

The Serie A season will kick off in late August with Inter hosting Torino and Udinese at the San Siro in the opening weeks. Then comes a tough trip to fellow giants Juventus before taking on newly-promoted Sassuolo and Cremonese either side of a trip to Cagliari.

Overall, Inter will be up for the challenge of getting over the disappointment of a campaign which offered so much hope and adding more silverware to the trophy cabinet.