Alexis Sanchez’s hopes of sealing a move to Inter Milan could be scuppered by Paulo Dybala.
The Italian giants have been keen to sign 30-year-old Manchester United misfit Sanchez on loan until the end of the season.
Inter boss Antonio Conte, who has already snapped up Romelu Lukaku to bolster his attack, is looking to further strengthen before the close of the European transfer window, as he plots a Serie A title tilt.
Inter chiefs have held talks with Sanchez and his advisers over a switch to San Siro.
But the Chilean’s mammoth £500,000-a-week wages are once more proving a major sticking point, with Inter unwilling to take on the full load.
The Nerazzurri are continuing to look elsewhere, and at the weekend Il Giornale reports that talks were held between Inter chiefs and Juventus forward Dybala.
The Argentine’s future in Turin is far from certain, despite a sublime strike in their pre-season victory over Triestina on Saturday night.
Dybala’s representatives held discussions with United and Tottenham before the close of the English transfer window, but no move was forthcoming.
And Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping tabs on his situation, with suggestions that Juve are increasingly keen to cash in on a player who has gone from indispensable to boss Maurizio Sarri alluding to him potentially being left out of their Champions League squad for 2019-20.
Now Dybala has reportedly held talks to join Conte’s new-look side, in a potential swap deal for his international teammate, Mauro Icardi.
It’s claimed Dybala met Inter chiefs at Villa d’esme, on Lake Como, on Sunday.
Ex-Chelsea boss Conte has made clear that his Argentine No.9, Icardi, who has bagged 124 goals in 219 games during six seasons at the club, is not in his plans for the upcoming campaign.
However, the 26-year-old is unwilling to leave unless he gets a switch to Juventus.
Juve have been in the market for a new centre-forward, with Bianconeri bosses having looked to snare Lukaku before his move to Inter was confirmed.
Dybala is well know, personally, to Inter CEO Beppe Marotta, once a key man in Turin, and both he and Conte are interested in a move that would similarly interest Icardi.
Nonetheless, Inter president Steven Zhang has previously stated publicly that he would never let Icardi join the Old Lady.
And while Zhang has backed Conte's hard-line stance that has seen Icardi excluded from every pre-season friendly, Corriere dello Sport reports that he will push for Icardi to be reintegrated into the first-team if the Argentine doesn't secure a move.
As such a swap between the two great rivals has been mooted, at a point where the values of both key assets are decreasing and where neither side can afford to commit huge money to getting what they desire.
Thus, a direct swap would be ideal - for everyone except Sanchez.
