Inter Milan Could Swap Milan Skriniar With Spurs' Flop Club-Record Signing, Report Says

Tottenham and Inter Milan have been progressing in a swap deal involving Milan Skriniar and Tanguy Ndombele after both players failed to meet their respective clubs’ expectations, a report from Italy said.

Milan’s transfer talks over defender Skriniar in exchange for Tottenham’s Ndombele are said to have “intensified” in recent weeks, though a deal has yet to be finalized, Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport reported. The idea of finally letting Skriniar go this summer came from the evident failure of the defender to reach his fine form for Inter boss Antonio Conte.

Sources speculated that the Slovakian’s future with Inter is yet to be concluded and that the Italian side is open to listening to offers from other clubs, provided that the club can get someone else in exchange, the report said.

As Inter attempts to release Skriniar via an exchange deal, the club has turned its sights on Tottenham’s Ndombele, the Spurs’ club-record signing who arrived from Lyon last summer.

Just like Skriniar, Ndombele has failed to find success with the Spurs this season. After dealing with consistent problems with fitness and a rocky relationship with boss Jose Mourinho, everything hit breaking point for Ndombele in March, specifically after Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Burnley.

Following the draw, Mourinho reiterated that he has given the Frenchman many chances to prove himself. However, Ndombele still has not been able to meet Mourinho’s expectations, considering the money Tottenham has splurged on him.

Prior to rumors of a swap deal, Skriniar managed to establish himself as one of the world’s most notable defenders, especially during his time at the San Siro. However, he appears to have lost his rhythm since moving to Milan.

The once-phenomenal center-back drastically declined in form at Inter, evidently forcing Conte to let him watch from the sidelines on Wednesday during the club’s win over Getafe in the Europa League.

But despite struggling to excel, Skriniar still drew interest from clubs across Europe’s major leagues, including Premier League giant Manchester United. Previous reports revealed Skriniar is another defensive player linked to a move to Old Trafford. Both Manchester clubs are keen on pursuing the 25-year-old.

United has been eager to bolster its defense, and an array of well-rounded defenders is believed to be on its shortlist. Aside from Skriniar, the Red Devils are also linked to a massive transfer deal involving Atletico Madrid star Jan Oblak and Porto's Alex Telles.