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Inter Milan plot Chelsea and Manchester United raids after transfer request
INTER MILAN manager Stefano Pioli has asked the club to sign a defensive midfielder in January, with reports suggesting he will look to raid the Premier League.
Morgan Schneiderlin takes on Jesse Lingard in Box of Balls challenge
Inter have struggled defensively this season and their poor start to the campaign has already ended their early title hopes.
Pioli took over from the sacked Frank de Boer in November but has so far failed to reverse the club's fortunes on the pitch.
Inter's new Chinese investors are keen to spend big in January to help the club climb the Serie A table.
And Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport claim Pioli's top priority is a midfielder.
Pioli is said to have gone to the Inter board to make his transfer plea.
According to the report, Chelsea outcast John Obi Mikel and Manchester United's Morgan Schneiderlin are on Pioli's wish list.
Mikel is expected to leave Chelsea next month after failing to make an appearance for the Blues under manager Antonio Conte.
Pioli wants to sign Man Utd's Schneiderlin (left) and Mikel (right) of Chelsea
Mikel helped Nigeria win Olympic bronze at Rio 2016
Schneiderlin (centre) has started just three games all season for Manchester United
As for Schneiderlin, the France international has failed to cement his place in United manager Jose Mourinho's first team.
The 27-year-old has started just three games for the Red Devils this term and Mourinho is reportedly prepared to offload him, with Everton and Roma also linked.
As for Inter, Gazzetta add that Genoa defensive midfielder Tomas Rincon, Fiorentina's Milan Badelj and Lassana Diarra of Marseille are also on Pioli's radar.
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