90min

Inter Consider Cutting Losses on Diego Godin After Just One Season

By Toby Cudworth

Diego Godin could be moved on after just one year in Milan.
Diego Godin could be moved on after just one year in Milan. / Silvia Lore/Getty Images
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Inter are open to selling Diego Godin after just one season at the club, amid interest from Ligue 1 giants Lyon.

The 34-year-old has failed to have the desired impact at San Siro after joining from Atletico Madrid this summer, even though I Nerazzurri have been title contenders for the majority of the season.

The Uruguayan has featured in 25 games in all competitions - 16 of those appearances coming in Serie A - but RMC Sport claimed at the back end of last week that Lyon had approached Inter over a possible deal.

Diego Simeone and Diego Godin were hugely successful at Atletico Madrid.
Diego Simeone and Diego Godin were hugely successful at Atletico Madrid. / JAVIER SORIANO/Getty Images

That report has now been followed up in Italy by Calciomercato, though they claim that Lyon will not be able to match Godin's hefty wage demands; it's thought that the veteran defender currently earns €5m a year in the fashion capital of the world, plus bonuses.

Godin has also been tentatively linked with a reunion with Diego Simeone in Madrid, but it's unlikely Los Rojiblancos will look to rewind the clock and bring him back to Spain. Inter Miami, owned and fronted by David Beckham, are a slightly more glamorous option, with a number of players keen on experiencing MLS before retiring from the game.

Regardless of where Godin ends up, it appears that his time at Inter may be coming to a premature end. Antonio Conte is understood to have sanctioned a deal for him last summer because he wanted to add experience to his backline in order to mount a serious Serie A title challenge.

Alessandro Bastoni has taken Godin's place in the side.
Alessandro Bastoni has taken Godin's place in the side. / Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images

But Godin's been usurped in the starting lineup by Italy Under-21 international Alessandro Bastoni, and barring any injury problems, it's unlikely that the youngster will be ousted from the side.

As for Inter's season, they remain in the title hunt - just about - but will need to string together a number of wins upon Serie A's resumption, and hope that Juventus and Lazio slip up between now and the end of the season.