Versatility, aerial duels, and positioning: Hancko and De Winter, who better for Inter?

Those private Skype lessons could come in handy. David Hancko speaks a little Italian, having learned it during his meteoric year at Fiorentina under Pioli. At the time, he played full-back, loved to push forward and deliver crosses with his left foot, but he only made a handful of appearances. On the other hand, between training sessions, David took Italian lessons with a private tutor. These are useful hours: Inter have him in their sights as a potential alternative to Leoni . At Parma, the 19-year-old central defender, a pupil of Chivu , is Marotta 's choice, but his €40 million asking price is prompting the Nerazzurri upper echelons to look elsewhere: Hancko and De Winter are on the list.

Two central defenders, similar in their interpretation of the position and the story behind their exploits in recent years. Hanko, a natural left-footer, divides his time between full-back and central defender. At Feyenoord , he plays deep, sets up plays, and moves up the pitch. Motta's Juve liked him because they planned to turn him into the Bianconeri's Calafiori , while at Inter, his versatility intrigues. When he wore the Slovakian jersey, David played full-back in a back four. Vavro and Skriniar stand out in the middle – with Obert playing alongside him – so the former Viola player shifts to the flank. At Inter, he would primarily play as a central defender, partly because Bastoni is untouchable, but if necessary, he could also be useful as a winger in a back four in a 3-4-1-2 formation. Last season's stats call for a reflection on his attacking qualities: Hancko had 50 shots, 15 of which were on target. De Winter “stopped” at 7. Add to this the 85 touches in the opponent's penalty area and 270 in the attacking midfield, the result of four goals and four assists.

David is five years older than De Winter and has made nearly 50 European appearances, split between Sparta Prague and Feyenoord. He finished the season in the Champions League round of 16, starting against AC Milan and Inter . With the exception of the return leg against the Nerazzurri, where he played as a left winger, he put in three excellent performances. In the first leg against the Rossoneri, he outshone his old friend Gimenez with a 7-point performance. His heat map reveals his attacking ability, as does De Winter 's. Both know how to push forward and build play. The difference in a potential move to Inter is their position: on the left is Bastoni, an untouchable, while on the right are Pavard and Bisseck. The Frenchman's technical prowess remains superior, but De Winter could fit in a bit better. Even as a pure center back of the future: the Belgian is 23, costs €30 million, and would be an investment. Hancko outshines him in experience. Inter will have to decide.