It looks increasingly likely that Milan Skriniar will leave Inter Milan in the summer, if reports from France are to be believed. The 27-year-old defender has been heavily linked with moves to Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham on a number of occasions but a switch has never materialised.
Skriniar, who sees his contract with Nerazzurri expire at the end of the season, has featured 19 times for Simone Inzaghi's side in the Serie A this term, guiding the Italian giants into the top-four. The Slovakia international's impressive displays have continued to court the attention of Europe's biggest clubs and the queue for his signature is growing.
With Skriniar set to be available via a free transfer in the coming months, French outlet FootMercato has reported that an English club is rivalling Paris Saint-Germain for his services. The report states that the Parisians are in talks with the defender over a potential deal but an unnamed English club has made a 'sensational entrance' on pre-contract negotiations.
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It's said that the English club has offered more than PSG. However, FootMercato adds that Skriniar prefers a move to Ligue 1 and has asked the French giants to match the English club's proposal.
Earlier this month, Skriniar's agent, Roberto Sistici, issued Italian outlet Telenord an update on his client's future. As quoted by TMW, Sistici said: "The truth is that the decision to put the player on the market was taken this summer by Inter, obviously not by the player.
"It was a club decision that led to a negotiation between Inter and PSG, of which we had obviously been informed. At some point, the negotiations broke down and we were also informed of this step, a decision that was not ours and that the player accepted calmly, professionally and with full respect for his contract.
"Last fall, we responded to all requests for meetings made by the club, after a series of preliminary meetings, we presented our own economic request, and then, at the beginning of November 2022, the club presented us with a proposal," Skriniar's agent added, before continuing at length.
"About a month later, before Christmas, I informed Inter of my decision not to accept their offer. This decision was reaffirmed at the beginning of January, before the Italian Super Cup final, when I also informed the leaders of the Nerazzurri, Marotta and Ausilio, that we felt free to listen to offers from other clubs.
"It was perhaps not a mandatory communication, but for the player and myself it was the most correct way to proceed, knowing that seriousness and transparency are for us the best way to proceed. I repeat, we have never missed any meeting with Inter.
"We did not talk about PSG, just as we did not disclose our positions and those of Inter, given that with Inter we had agreed to handle the matter with the right confidentiality, in the interest of the serenity and performance of the team and the player I assist. There are contacts with some clubs. Not the Italians."
According to CalcioMercato in December, Arsenal were tipped to overtake PSG in the race to sign Skriniar as Mikel Arteta looked to further bolster his backline. But, following the arrival of Jakub Kiwior, it remains to be seen whether the Gunners will revisit a deal.
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