Andi Diouf: Inter’s Transfer Enigma With Departure on the Horizon

A Difficult Start

French midfielder Andi Diouf, who joined Inter from last summer, has failed to prove himself, making his departure seem likelier than for any other player in the squad, despite only a few months in Milan.

Inter turned its gaze toward Diouf to fill a midfield void after the club hoped to sign Roma's Manu Koné, but Roma's asking price proved excessive, forcing Inter to look elsewhere.

A lightweight, shy, and unsure-of-himself player, he is also the least-used of Inter's new signings, sitting second-to-last in playing time behind Darmian, who has been out injured for a long spell.

To summarize Diouf's early months in Milan, one word suffices: puzzle.

The Frenchman arrived as a €25 million addition, among the summer signings, but has undoubtedly disappointed, especially after his appearances in Appiano Gentile following the end of the Manu Koné saga.

Given the club's plans and the coach's tactical setup, expectations were for a controlling, influential midfielder who could disrupt the tempo, win back the ball, and drive defensive transitions—an anchor in midfield that Inter had been missing.

A Rough Start

Since the Frenchman has played only 26 minutes of more than 1,080 minutes available (not counting stoppage time), pinning down his football identity is extremely difficult.

And in the few minutes he has had, he gave coach Cristian Kevo the impression of a distracted mind.

Diouf came on as a substitute in his first Serie A match against Torino, but immediately made two glaring errors. Less than a month and a half later, he appeared in a modest outing against Cremonese, coming on as a substitute when his team led 4-0, and left the same disappointing impression.

Based on those facts, it's not inconceivable that the Frenchman could get another chance, especially as the club leadership focuses on the big fee paid for him, though that may be away from San Siro, which often intimidates newcomers lacking a strong personality and emotional stability.

According to the latest press reports and sources close to Inter's officials, the club and technical staff see a temporary loan for Diouf in January as not far away, a move that could yield positive results for both sides and revive the form that had drawn attention at Lens.

Inter hopes the tepid start will fade; more importantly for the team, the loan could open a window for a productive winter market investment, as Nerazzurri officials target Morten Frendrup, Genoa's midfielder and Denmark international.

Inter's numbers this season

Europe-wise, Inter began the season strongly in the Champions League, opening with a 2-0 win away at Ajax, then beating Slavia Prague 3-0 with goals from Lautaro Martínez (two) and Dumfries, and later defeating Union Saint-Gilloise 4-0.

So far, the Black and Blues have nine goals and have conceded none in Europe, placing third in the group with nine points, one goal behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain and runner-up Bayern Munich.

In Serie A, Inter faced bigger tests, starting the campaign with a 5-0 thrashing of Torino, but then suffering surprises: a 2-1 loss to Udinese and a 4-3 defeat to Juventus.

There followed a run of wins against Sassuolo 2-1, Cagliari 2-0, Cremonese 4-1, and Roma 1-0; after four straight wins, Inter fell away again to Napoli 3-1, before bouncing back with a 3-0 win over Fiorentina.

As of now, Inter Milan sit on 18 points, third in the Serie A table, three points behind Roma and four behind leaders Napoli, who drew with Como yesterday.

Punchline 1: If Diouf were a puzzle piece, Inter wouldn’t find the corner until January.

Punchline 2: If football were math, Diouf would be the x that never solves the equation.