The Istanbul Clearance: Marotta’s Plan to Shed Surplus Stars

The Unwanted Trio

The air at Viale della Liberazione is thick with the scent of a summer cleaning. While the "Double" was secured on the pitch, the offices of Marotta and Ausilio are focused on a different task: offloading players who no longer fit Christian Chivu's vision. According to reports from Fanatik, Turkish heavyweights Besiktas have entered into significant discussions for three players who have found themselves on the periphery of the project: Benjamin Pavard, Kristjan Asllani, and Davide Frattesi.

Benjamin Pavard’s situation is perhaps the most pressing. The Frenchman is set to return to Milano this summer, but not to a hero's welcome. After a loan spell at Marseille where the Ligue 1 side opted not to trigger their €15M buy-option following a string of inconsistent performances, Pavard is firmly on the "sell" list. Pavard is not in Chivu's plans, and with Manuel Akanji joining permanently from Manchester City, the Frenchman has become an expensive surplus. Besiktas is now seen as the primary escape route for a player whose Nerazzurri story has reached its final chapter.

Surplus to Requirements

Joining Pavard in the departure lounge is Kristjan Asllani. Once heralded as the successor to Hakan Calhanoglu, the Albanian playmaker has instead spent the 2025/2026 season bouncing between loan spells at Torino and Besiktas itself. The verdict from the coaching staff is clear: he is surplus to requirements. A permanent move to Istanbul would allow Asllani to finally settle into a starting role while allowing Inter to recoup some of the investment made in the young creator.

Davide Frattesi rounds out the trio of potential departures. Despite his high-profile arrival, the former Sassuolo man has struggled to replicate his previous goal-scoring form under Chivu. Limited game time and a lack of decisive contributions have led to frustration on both sides. While Inter would prefer a permanent sale to raise funds for incoming targets like Palestra and Jones, Besiktas is testing the waters for a deal that could include all three players. Marotta is reportedly keen to clear these salaries off the books to provide Chivu with a squad that is leaner and purely focused on defending the Seconda Stella.

The ForzaIM Take

It’s time for a hard reset. Pavard was a gamble that didn't pay off long-term, and Asllani simply hasn’t taken the leap we all hoped for. As for Frattesi, sometimes the fit just isn't right. If Besiktas is willing to take all three and give us the liquidity to back Chivu’s vision, we should drive them to the airport ourselves. We need players who are 100% vital to the plan, not high-priced loanees returning with their tails between their legs. The clearing of the decks has begun.

If we successfully sell Pavard, Asllani, and Frattesi, who should be the #1 target to replace them in Chivu’s rotation?

Forza Inter sempre!