Inter are set to allow Davide Frattesi to join Lazio for an initial €15m, with the club retaining 50% of any future transfer fee as part of the agreement.
The midfielder will move on loan for €1m, with Lazio obliged to complete the transfer for a further €14m at the end of the season if certain conditions are met.
The structure of the deal initially raised eyebrows because Inter had maintained throughout the summer that they wanted at least €30m for Frattesi. That valuation was already lower than the €40m asking price they had set last season.
However, reports from Sky Sport Italia, Sport Mediaset and other outlets have clarified that Inter’s unusually large share of a future sale accounts for the apparent discrepancy between the midfielder’s €30m valuation and the €15m guaranteed fee in the current agreement.
The sell-on clause was initially thought to be worth 20%, but it has now been confirmed that Inter will receive half of any future transfer fee Lazio earn from Frattesi.
That means the Italy international could ultimately generate a value of €30m for Inter, provided Lazio later sell him for a similar amount. The Nerazzurri believe regular first-team football at Lazio could help Frattesi increase his profile and market value before a possible transfer next summer.
Inter paid €32.8m to sign Frattesi from Sassuolo in 2023. Despite the lower immediate fee, the deal would still represent a profit of about €7.5m for the club when amortisation is taken into account.
Several clubs expressed an interest in the midfielder during the summer. Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United were among those linked, while Juventus were also considered a possible destination.
None of those clubs appeared willing to meet Inter’s €30m asking price, paving the way for Lazio to agree a deal based on an initial loan and conditional obligation to buy.
Frattesi, who turns 27 next month, joined Inter from Sassuolo in 2023 and remains under contract at San Siro until June 2028.
The move to Lazio would give the Italy international the opportunity to play more consistently in Serie A after competition for midfield places at Inter limited his regular involvement. Inter are now placing their faith in his performances in Rome to increase the value of their retained share should he leave Lazio in the future.