Inter Milan Prepare Bid For Out Of Favor Real Madrid Star After Nicolo Barella Injury
Inter Milan have turned to Real Madrid after Nicolo Barella's latest injury concern.
Louis Fargher
Updated on 28 January 2026
Inter Milan are considering a last-minute move for Real Madrid star Dani Ceballos as Nicolo Barella is expected to miss multiple weeks through injury.
Nicolo Barella Injury Update
The Italian star has been ruled out of Inter Milan’s trip to Dortmund on January 28th after picking-up a knock during the Nerazzurri’s 6-2 win over Pisa on January 23rd.
According to an official statement from Inter, Barella has suffered a strain to his psoas muscle in the right thigh and is unable to compete in the Italian side’s final Champions League fixture.
The Nerazzurri have confirmed that Barella’s situation will be viewed day-by-day, but the Italian side are not expecting an immediate return.
Barella has been an ever-present member in the Nerazzurri midfield, making 29 appearances across all competitions and donning the captain’s armband four times.
The 28-year-old’s injury comes at a poor time for Inter, as Hakan Calhanoglu is also on the sidelines – however the Turkish star is close to a return.
Barella may also miss Inter’s upcoming Serie A encounters against Cremonese and Sassuolo, as the Nerazzurri look to maintain their place at the top of the table.
Petar Sucic, Herikh Mkhitaryan and Piotr Zielinksi will be the likely options to fill the hole left by Barella, but Cristian Chivu is reportedly looking to bring in another midfielder.
Inter Milan Target Real Madrid Midfielder
The Nerazzurri are currently monitoring Dani Ceballos, as the Spanish midfielder has made just four starts in LaLiga this season and has been an unused substitute in six of Madrid’s last eight league fixtures.
Battling against the likes of Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverede, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni for a place in the starting lineup was never going to be an easy task for Ceballos.
Dropping down the pecking order even further could be an issue for Ceballos this summer, as Real Madrid target Nico Paz and the Spaniard could be on his way out of LaLiga.
The 29-year-old’s deal with Los Blancos does not expire until the end of the 2026/27 season and Ceballos has been on Real Madrid’s books since 2017.
Ceballos has left the club on loan before, spending two seasons at Arsenal between 2019-2021, meaning the Spanish international could consider another temporary departure.
Cristian Chivu is looking to bolster his midfield given the recent injuries to Barella and Calhanoglu, which makes Ceballos an intriguing option for the Nerazzurri.
Los Blancos are open to a short-term loan deal for the remainder of the season, but may include an obligatory buy-clause that could deter Inter from any deal this month.
Louis Fargher
Louis has been an avid soccer enthusiast for multiple years and boasts knowledge across several leagues in Europe - including Serie A. Louis holds a degree in Soccer Journalism and has produced content for multiple clubs in the United Kingdom.
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