AC Milan will take on Inter in the Derby della Madonnina on Sunday, and there are some players that could have been representing the other side of the city.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport write, there are five players who could have ended up playing for the opposite team in what is a ‘sliding doors derby’, and it ranges from the most recent summer window all the way back to 2018.
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The Milan side
In the summer of 2018, Inter dreamed of snatching Luka Modric from Real Madrid. Luciano Spalletti wanted him, but Florentino Perez pointed to the €750m release clause, before telling FIFA that the Nerazzurri contacted the Croatian without the club’s permission.
FIFA, in a letter addressed to Inter and Real Madrid, ruled that there was no basis for pursuing the Spanish club’s complaint against the Nerazzurri. By then, it was too late: Modric remained at Real Madrid, who then also adjusted his salary.
In 2019, Rafael Leao could have worn blue and black, as he admitted recently: “I said no. I wanted to stay there another year to improve further. But the management insisted: ‘We have to sell you, it’s an excellent opportunity for you, for us, it’s a lot of money.’ But I said no to Inter.”
He was the alternative to Romelu Lukaku. A few weeks passed, and this time, Milan called: “I said they had come with an offer, I would accept. Two days later, they told me there was an offer and that someone wanted to speak to me. They put me through to Paolo Maldini on video call. He told me I needed to come to Milan and that they were ready to take me. I couldn’t say no.”
Before Milan brought him to Milanello last summer, Koni De Winter was given serious consideration by Inter too. The Nerazzurri had already made a move in May, aiming to freshen up their defence, with Pavard or Bisseck’s departure expected.
As the weeks passed, however, the deal cooled, partly because Genoa’s asking price wasn’t within Inter’s budget. Milan took over in the first half of August, partly because they urgently needed to replace Thiaw, who had moved to Newcastle. Allegri thus reunited with the Belgian.
The Inter side
There was a market derby between the two teams in 2023 for Marcus Thuram, when his contract with Borussia Mönchengladbach was expiring. Inter actually made their first move in the January, trying to close the deal, but Mönchengladbach refused. The Rossoneri didn’t give up and continued to monitor him closely.
The situation changed after the Champions League final, when Inter took stock and realised they could present a more attractive offer financially. Above all, the Nerazzurri proved quicker to take charge. The overtaking was completed in mid-June.
Manuel Akanji joined Inter in the final hours of the last summer transfer window. Before that, Milan were primarily courting him, seeking an experienced centre-back to bolster a defensive line lacking a true leader and already numerically limited.
Inter made their move in the final days of August, and even though time was running out, an agreement with City on his transfer was within reach. The reason for rejecting Milan? His desire to play in the Champions League, which he also publicly expressed.
