Bologna have officially signed former Inter, Manchester United and Torino defender Matteo Darmian on a free transfer after he spent the past week training with the club.
The 36-year-old has agreed a contract running until the end of the 2026-27 season. Reports earlier this week indicated that the deal could include an option to extend it by a further 12 months.
Darmian became a free agent after leaving Inter at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. He made 218 appearances in all competitions for the Nerazzurri and was part of squads which won three Serie A titles, three Coppa Italia trophies and reached three Supercoppa Italiana finals.
He also featured in Inter squads that finished as Champions League runners-up in 2023 and 2025.
The experienced full-back had attracted interest from several clubs after his Inter contract expired, including a number of newly promoted sides. Previous reports also suggested he had been offered a backroom position at San Siro.
However, Darmian chose to take time before deciding on his next move. He eventually agreed to begin training with Bologna after the club lost right-back Emil Holm to a serious injury while the Sweden international was away on duty during the September-October international break.
Holm has since undergone surgery and is expected to be out of action for between four and six months.
That injury opened the way for Darmian to return to Serie A, having spent just over three months without a club.
He is now available to Bologna for their next league fixture, an away match against Lecce at 14.00 BST on Sunday afternoon.
Darmian began his professional career with AC Milan before establishing himself at Torino. His performances for the Turin club earned him a move to Manchester United, where he played before returning to Italy with Parma and then joining Inter.
His time at Inter brought a significant collection of domestic honours, while he was also involved in the club’s runs to the Champions League final in 2023 and 2025.
Bologna moved quickly to add defensive cover following Holm’s injury and have now confirmed Darmian’s arrival as they prepare for their next Serie A assignment.