Manchester United have entered the frame to sign Davide Frattesi from Inter Milan after he asked his agent to get him a summer transfer and with his asking price also coming to light, per a report.
Frattesi shone with Sassuolo in Italy before joining Inter on loan with an obligation to buy in July 2023. Inter paid a €6million loan fee for the central midfielder before signing him permanently for an added €27m.
Since then, Frattesi has made 89 appearances for Inter in all competitions and chipped in with 15 goals and nine assists. In the 2024-25 season, Frattesi played 47 times for Inter, registering seven goals and two assists.
While the Italy international was regularly rotated by former Inter boss Simone Inzaghi, he popped up with some crucial goals for the Nerazzurri, none more so than the late winner against Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final clash.
Frattesi scored with a curling left-footed effort in the ninth minute of extra time to give Inter a 4-3 victory on the night and a 7-6 victory on aggregate following two enthralling games between the two teams.
Despite these heroics, Frattesi was left on the bench as Inter were thrashed 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
The 25-year-old has previously helped Inter win the Scudetto and Italian super cup and he is looking for a new challenge this summer.
According to Sky Sport Switzerland journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Frattesi is considering leaving Inter ‘more than ever’ this summer.
Frattesi is ‘disappointed’ he is not a guaranteed starter for Inter even after the ‘high-level performances’ he has been putting in.
The player has ‘sent a clear message to his entourage’ to ‘begin discussions’ with interested clubs about a possible move.
This is where Man Utd come in. They have joined the likes of Napoli and Atletico Madrid in the chase to snare Frattesi.
Antonio Conte has made his signing a ‘priority’ for Serie A champions Napoli, but they will face competition for the prospective deal.
Much has been made of United’s tricky financial situation, but if they can sell players such as Marcus Rashford and Antony then this will give them the funds to blow any Napoli offer for Frattesi out of the water.
United have already shown they are willing to spend big on the right targets, with Matheus Cunha signed for £62.5m and £60m-rated Bryan Mbeumo up next.
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Man Utd transfers: Davide Frattesi price set
As things stand, Frattesi is leaning towards staying in Serie A. But it remains to be seen if the riches and glamour of playing in the Premier League with United could change his mind.
Inter are open to negotiating the star’s departure and have provisionally set his price tag at €35m (£30m / $40m).
While United may have been impressed by Frattesi’s high-quality technical performances, it must be noted that central midfield is not an absolute priority for them right now.
They are focused on getting a deal for Mbeumo over the line and are ready to launch a new bid for the Brentford star. Should Mbeumo join then he will take up one of the two No 10 positions alongside Cunha.
Next up on Ruben Amorim’s wish list is a striker. Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Viktor Gyokeres and Hugo Ekitike are both on United’s shortlist.
Once those deals are complete, United could enter talks with Inter to make Frattesi their new box-to-box midfielder.
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Frattesi style of play
BySamuel Bannister
Frattesi has just finished his second season with Inter and fourth as a Serie A player after his previous spell with Sassuolo, and reached a quarter of a century of caps for Italy in November.
At the age of 25, the Rome-born midfielder – who had spells in the academies of both capital clubs growing up – has worked his way up to become a useful squad member for the Italian giants.
A box-to-box midfielder by nature, Frattesi brings energy to the middle of the park and can be the trigger for intensity in his team. He thrives on getting into spaces between the lines and is a capable ball carrier.
Right-footed, he is more of a short passer than someone who will look to spread the play, but his direct nature allows him to cause danger. He currently averages a goal contribution roughly every third game, which is encouraging considering he isn’t always a starter.
Tactically, he usually fits in as a right-sided central midfielder in a midfield three, but playing in a box-to-box role in a midfield partnership is not beyond him.
Strong on the break thanks to his mix of stamina and technical quality, his movement is intelligent as he roams into pockets of space where opponents can find it challenging to track him. Equally, he can break up play in the opposite phase.
There are areas of his game to improve, and sometimes it can feel like more established players are dictating the pace of a game more than him, but Frattesi is fairly unique among the current cohort of Italian midfielders and that makes him an attractive proposition.