Bonny: Joining Inter, Improving under Chivu and lessons from Lautaro and Thuram

Inter striker Ange-Yoan Bonny has discussed his start to life in San Siro, the areas where he feels he can improve, the help that Cristian Chivu has been able to offer him and the lessons he has learned from teammates Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram and Francesco Pio Esposito. 

The Frenchman sat down for an in-depth interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, during which he discussed his move to Inter from Parma and his promising start to the 2025-26 campaign. 

Bonny joined Inter for a fee of €23m plus bonuses over the summer and has since scored four goals from 11 games in Serie A, despite not being a guaranteed starter in San Siro. Only Hakan Calhanoglu and Riccardo Orsolini have scored more than him in the league so far this term. 

“I’ve realised that it takes time to understand where you are, to realise how big this club is. Once you’ve got to grips with that, you have to realise the level of the team, which is constantly rising,” Bonny told La Gazzetta dello Sport about his start to life with his new club. 

“Inter are very demanding, they always ask more from you, but I feel great and I’m learning.” 

And what does Bonny feel that he still has to learn? 

“Playing with my back to goal, sometimes I’ve lost silly balls. Improving my heading, but also my endurance given that we’re playing every three days and have to work hard. In general, everything can always be done better.” 

Bonny is pleased to have such a strong and helpful squad of teammates available to guide him through his first season in San Siro. 

“There are lots of guys, but it’s always easier with French speakers, like Mkhitaryan. Marcus Thuram has helped me a lot, and not just since we’ve been teammates either: His advice was already useful when I was at Parma. He pushes me further, as do the Italian teammates. They want me to always give my best without any drops in form.” 

How did it feel to score in San Siro for the first time? 

“The first time was with Parma,” Bonny replied. “I was dazzled, the stadium is so big, it never seems to end. It takes your breath away. It’s different when you play for Inter. I was lucky enough to score straight away against Torino. After the roar, in that noise, you don’t hear anything anymore. It’s all muffled, it’s all just emotion.” 

When did Bonny decide that he was going to join Inter from Parma? 

“Last year, during Parma-Inter, the 2-2 draw, Bastoni knocked me over and told me: ‘Come to us next year’. It seemed like a warning! But I was pleased. He, Bisseck and Acerbi make their presence known in training. They help push you on.” 

Bonny feels that it has been even more useful having his former Parma coach Cristian Chivu in charge of Inter. 

“The coach is the same authentic person he was in Parma now that he’s in Milan. He does things and communicates in the same way. He always asks me to be available for the others, to play for the team first.” 

What does Bonny feel that he can learn from his teammates in the Inter striking department? 

“I’d like to have Lautaro’s hunger in front of goal,” he replied. “Being the fourth-top scorer in Inter’s history, at his age, is extraordinary. He always wants to score, whether it’s a good or a bad goal doesn’t matter. 

“Marcus, on the other hand, can do everything: Goals, dribbling, assists. I might have a few more similarities with him, but we are still different and we can play together. I’d also like to take something from Pio (Esposito), not many can protect the ball like he does.”