Inter and Juventus have both set their sights on Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano as a primary target for future squad building, according to reports from Italian sports media. Calciomercato reported that Juventus views the young playmaker at the top of their list, aided by the influence of sporting director Ricky Massara, who previously facilitated Romano’s loan move to Spezia during the previous season.

At the same time, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Inter has positioned the 2006-born midfielder at the forefront of their planning should Hakan Calhanoglu depart when his contract expires in June 2027. Il Messaggero noted that Inter’s management, including Beppe Marotta and Dario Baccin, is monitoring the situation closely to move well in advance and avoid competitive bidding wars.

Massara Influence Shapes Juventus Interest in Romano

According to Tuttosport, Juventus sporting director Ricky Massara holds a strong relationship with the player, having previously helped arrange his loan spell at Spezia last season. Under managers Roberto Donadoni and Luca D’Angelo during his time in Liguria, Romano gained vital first-team experience that prepared him for Serie A. Despite Spezia’s relegation to Serie C, the midfielder’s performances across five league matches and two Coppa Italia appearances earned him widespread recognition.

Il Messaggero reported that Cagliari is obligated to exercise an option to redeem the player for €6.5 million and will tie him down to a five-year contract. However, his market valuation has already climbed past €20 million amid mounting interest from Italy’s top clubs.

Inter Prepares for a Post-Calhanoglu Midfield

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Inter views Romano as the ideal modern deep-lying playmaker to eventually succeed Hakan Calhanoglu. The Turkish midfielder’s contract runs until June 2027, but physical struggles—including six injuries last season and a fresh stoppage in the current campaign—have prompted Inter management to evaluate contingency plans. Without guaranteed athletic consistency from Calhanoglu, the club is prepared to accelerate its pursuit of the left-footed midfielder.

Il Messaggero highlighted parallels to Inter’s successful acquisition of Nicolò Barella from Cagliari in 2019, an operation that cost €49 million including bonuses but proved vital to the club’s recent success. The management sees similar traits in Romano, who stands 185 centimeters tall and possesses an established international profile after featuring for Italy’s youth and senior setups under Roberto Mancini and subsequent staff.

Inter Considers Romano While Retaining Aleksandar Stankovic

While Inter monitors Romano, the club must also decide the future of young Serbian midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic, who remains in Cristian Chivu's squad despite rejected offers reaching €40 million, as reported by the source. Romano sarà molto utile per il futuro della Nazionale, Mancini stated, praising the qualities of the young talent born in Switzerland who grew up in Roma’s youth sector and brings a distinct Italian heart and left-footed profile to the pitch. The player has also received encouragement from teammates regarding connections from Milan to Sardinia, while Juventus additionally evaluates potential free agent targets under Massara, including Alisson Becker, Oumar Solet, David Raum, Tyrick Mitchell, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Stanislav Lobotka, Mateo Kovacic, and Brahim Diaz.

As Cagliari finalizes its permanent acquisition of the player for €6.5 million, both northern Italian powerhouses continue tracking his progress ahead of upcoming transfer windows.