‘Going to Inter’: Former player says reported Tottenham and West Ham target is Milan-bound

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Reported Tottenham Hotspur and Everton target Nikola Maksimovic is set to join Serie A leaders Inter Milan this summer, former Napoli ace Alessandro Renica has told Radio CRC, via AreaNapoli.

Money doesn’t grow on trees, even at the elite level of European football – especially in covid times.

So Maksimovic, a 29-year-old central defender, was always likely to be a man in demand this summer. The Serbia international will be a free agent in July after all and, while he would prefer to stick around at the Stadio San Paulo, that particular ship appears to have sailed.

Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis has refused to bow down to the defender’s demands, reluctant as he is to offer Maksimovic the £50,000-a-week contract he craves (Forza Roma).

The former Hellas Verona man is hardly short of alternative offers, however.

Torino Granata recently reported Tottenham and West Ham United are both big fans of the 6ft 4in defender. Interestingly, West Ham allegedly made a £14 million bid for that very same player in September (talkSPORT) – could they sign Maksimovic for free less than 12 months later?

Well, according to a man who made more than 130 Serie A appearances in sky blue, Maksimovic will be staying in Italy with Antonio Conte’s soon-to-be-Scudetto winners Inter Milan in the market for another experienced, bargain signing.

“Nikola Maksimovic? It seems he is going to Inter,” Renica says.

Earlier this month, FC Inter News reported Maksimovic’s agent, Fali Ramadani, had been in touch with Everton and West Ham, offering the veteran centre-half to the Premier League pair.

Carlo Ancelotti knows Maksimovic better than most, hailing the former Torino man during his time in charge of the Southern Italy giants.

Whether Everton take up Ramadani’s offer, however, remains to be seen.

Speaking a few weeks ago, Ancelotti insisted a new centre-back was not a priority. That could change, however, with Yerry Mina seemingly pining for a summer switch to Serie A.