All parties involved are satisfied. The recent discussions between Inter Milan and Marko Arnautovic have led to an agreement that works for everyone. The Austrian forward has willingly accepted his role as the team’s fourth striker, falling behind Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram, and Mehdi Taremi in the pecking order. This outcome was likely, especially since Arnautovic turned down several opportunities to move elsewhere in recent weeks. While he received some offers from Turkey and a few tentative inquiries from Italy, none of them convinced him to leave.
For Inter coach Simone Inzaghi, this conclusion is welcome news. He now has a reliable option in Arnautovic, who has shown his ability to make an impact even with limited playing time last season. In total, he made 34 appearances for Inter but played only 1,072 minutes, scoring 7 goals and providing 3 assists across all competitions. He started in the lineup for eight matches.
Looking ahead, Inter’s attacking lineup could benefit from bringing in a young talent to complement the four established players already in the squad. Currently, Vladyslav Vanat from Dinamo Kiev is a name to watch, especially if they can offload Joaquín Correa. The transfer market is always unpredictable, and while there could still be opportunities for Arnautovic, his hefty salary of €3.7 million per year at the age of 35 does complicate things.
However, the key difference now compared to a few weeks ago, when a move for Gudmundsson seemed more likely, is that the Nerazzurri no longer feel the need to sell Arnautovic. Instead, they are looking to utilize him effectively in his new supporting role, an important consideration with the season ahead, where Inter is set to play at least 50 matches.