Inter considering January deal for former Arsenal defender after Dumfries surgery

Inter are beginning to consider their options to replace Denzel Dumfries, who is expected to be unavailable for several months after surgery, and reports on Wednesday suggest that the Nerazzurri could be keen on a deal for former Arsenal defender Brooke Norton-Cuffy, who has impressed for Genoa this term. 

Dumfries went under the knife in London earlier this week in an attempt to fix an ankle issue that had been taking longer than expected to resolve. Initial reports suggest that the Dutchman could be unavailable for a further two to three months. 

So far, Inter have been using Luis Henrique and Carlos Augusto as their replacements on the right flank, but heading into the business end of the season, they could be tempted into a potential deal during the January transfer window, claims La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

A decision has not yet been made either way, but La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that the Nerazzurri could be keen on finding a Dumfries replacement in January, whether than be a permanent solution or a short-term fix until the summer. 

One of the names that is reportedly of interest to the Nerazzurri is Genoa’s Norton-Cuffy. The 21-year-old moved to Serie A from Arsenal last summer, was in and out of the first-team due to injury last season, but has become a guaranteed starter in 2025-26. 

So far this term, the former England youth international has played the full 90 minutes in 14 out of 15 Serie A matches, only missing one through suspension. 

If Inter were to make a move for Norton-Cuffy in January, La Gazzetta dello Sport cites a fee in the region of €20m. 

Wednesday’s report adds that Inter have a solid relationship with Norton-Cuffy’s agency, RocNation, who were also involved in various Romelu Lukaku deals, and also represent Nerazzurri wing-back Federico Dimarco, plus the aforementioned Luis Henrique. 

Inter are also reportedly interested in Atalanta’s Marco Palestra, but are aware that a deal with La Dea, especially in January and especially after the Ademola Lookman debacle, will not be easy to pull off. 

Hellas Verona’s Rafik Belghali has also been mentioned as a more sensible option for January.