Inter put Chalobah move on hold as Chelsea prepare Lacroix bid

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Inter have temporarily paused their pursuit of Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah to focus on other priorities, as the Premier League side await his departure before making a formal approach for Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix. The Italian champions are carefully plotting their next moves in the transfer market while maintaining strong diplomatic relations with Como.

Transfer pact between Serie A rivals

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter and Como have formed a strategic alliance in the transfer market to avoid damaging bidding wars. The two Serie A clubs share several mutual targets, which recently prompted a productive telephone conversation between Inter president Beppe Marotta and Como representative Mirwan Suwarso on Tuesday.

The two chiefs established a non-belligerence pact to ensure they do not drive up prices for shared prospects. This diplomatic approach is designed to prevent a repetition of the complications Inter faced with other targets earlier in the window. The primary focus of this new gentleman's agreement is Chelsea defender Chalobah, who has attracted significant interest from both Italian sides this summer.

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Como reveal stance on Chelsea defender

Como have already made an ambitious move for Chalobah, submitting a formal offer of €25 million to Chelsea a few weeks ago. The Premier League club promptly rejected that initial bid. With Inter continuing to monitor Chalobah, Suwarso explicitly informed Marotta that Como have no intention of entering a costly auction. Suwarso requested clarity on the intentions of Inter regarding the English defender.

The Como chief assured Marotta that if Inter decide to launch a strong pursuit for Chalobah, Como will gracefully withdraw from the race and shift their attention to alternative profiles. This excellent relationship between the two clubs leaves every possible scenario open for the future of the Chelsea youth graduate.

Inter shift focus to right flank

Despite the cleared path, Inter have put their pursuit of Chalobah on standby. The Italian champions are currently completely focused on securing a deal for Anan Khalaili. Inter will only return their attention to the defensive department once they have successfully resolved the situation on their right flank.

However, the negotiations for Chalobah are not dead. Inter are constantly working with the entourage of Chalobah to find an agreement on personal terms before sending a first official bid to Chelsea. Meanwhile, Chelsea are looking to revamp their own defence. The London club want to hand a prominent role to Maxence Lacroix, although a distance remains in their negotiations with Crystal Palace.

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What happens next for Chelsea centre-back?

Expect Inter to intensify their efforts for Chalobah in the coming days once their right-sided issues are resolved. With Como stepping aside, Inter have a clear run at the defender. Chelsea must finalise this departure swiftly to fund their planned move for Lacroix, meaning all three clubs face a critical week of interconnected transfer activity.