Inter's Strategic Contract Renewals: Focus on Dimarco and Calhanoglu
Pio Esposito’s new deal to 2031 was the first signal. Inter are not waiting for problems to appear. They are moving before they arise.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the extension for the young forward has cleared the decks for a far more delicate phase: a series of contract renewals that will shape the Nerazzurri’s core for years. Once the summer transfer window officially shuts, the focus inside the San Siro offices shifts fully to signatures, not signings.
The message from the boardroom is clear: no repeat of last‑minute tensions, no avoidable stand-offs. Inter want their hierarchy of renewals set early in the autumn.
Dimarco at the top of the list
First in line: Federico Dimarco.
The star left-back, reigning Scudetto MVP and emotional heartbeat of this Inter, is tied down until 2027 with a club option for an extra year. On paper, that gives the club breathing room. In reality, his status demands a recalibration.
Dimarco is understood to be pushing for a pay rise that reflects his weight in the dressing room and on the pitch. From around 4 million euros per season to 5 million: a step up aligned with his decisive role in delivering Inter’s 21st Scudetto.
Inter are calm because of the existing clause, but not complacent. Club sources indicate the defender is open to a longer commitment and remains fully locked in on performances, while his representatives work on the numbers. The club know that rewarding a homegrown pillar sends a powerful signal to the rest of the squad.
Carlos Augusto and the battle for minutes
Not every renewal is just about money.
Talks with Carlos Augusto have been running for months, with Inter ready to lift his salary to roughly 3 million euros. The Brazilian’s case is more nuanced. He sits behind Alessandro Bastoni and Dimarco in Cristian Chivu’s plans, and the key question is simple: how much does he want to play?
Inter value his versatility and see him as a crucial rotational piece across the left side of the defence. But the player’s appetite for regular minutes will heavily influence the outcome. A better contract is on the table; the real negotiation is over his role.
Calhanoglu enters the danger zone
If Dimarco is the headline, Hakan Calhanoglu is the alarm clock.
The playmaker has officially stepped into the final year of his contract, a territory big clubs try to avoid with their central figures. Inter’s response has been public and emphatic. President Beppe Marotta has openly underlined Calhanoglu’s importance to what he called a historical project for the Nerazzurri.
The intent is obvious: remove any doubt about his place at the heart of this team and clear the path for an agreement. Letting such a key midfielder drift too close to free agency would undermine the stability Inter have been building.
A longer horizon: 2028 and beyond
Beyond these immediate files, a broader puzzle stretches toward 2028.
Inter’s management must navigate a cluster of contracts for players who define the current cycle. Among them: Alessandro Bastoni, Marcus Thuram, Manuel Akanji and Piotr Zielinski. Each case brings its own mix of age profile, physical load and financial weight.
The club’s task is to protect its sporting project without breaking its wage structure. That means deciding who forms the spine of the next Inter, not just the current one.
Inside the San Siro boardroom, one truth hangs over every meeting: the transfer market might close, but the season of renewals never really does.
