Aleksandar Stankovic Ready to Fight for Inter Spot Under Chivu

Aleksandar Stankovic has made his choice clear. With transfer rumours swirling around him, the 21-year-old midfielder wants one thing only: to stay at Inter and battle for a place in Cristian Chivu’s side this season.

Reports in Italy on Thursday suggested Inter could cash in on the youngster or send him out on loan, given the traffic jam in central midfield. Stankovic, though, is pushing back. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, he has no interest in another move and intends to convince Chivu he belongs at San Siro right now, even with Curtis Jones arriving.

This is not just any academy product trying to cling on. Stankovic is the son of Dejan Stankovic, a treble winner with Inter and a symbol of the club’s modern history. Aleksandar came through the Nerazzurri academy before being sold to Club Brugge last summer, a move that looked like a clean break at the time.

He turned that step into a statement. In Belgium, Stankovic impressed to the point that Inter did something they rarely do: they paid big money to bring one of their own back. The club activated their buy-back clause for a reported €23m after a standout season that put him among the most talked-about young midfielders in Europe.

That fee alone raises expectations. So does the competition he walks into.

Midfield Competition

Chivu’s midfield already has clear pillars. Italy regular Nicolo Barella and Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu are locked in as starters. Jones, set to join from Liverpool in a €35m deal, is expected to slot straight into the rotation with a significant role.

Behind them, the depth is heavy. Petar Sucic and Piotr Zielinski offer quality and reliability. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who signed a contract extension earlier in the summer, still brings experience and game management. Andy Diouf has shown his versatility too, even being tested at right wing-back during pre-season.

On paper, it is exactly the kind of crowded department that pushes a 21-year-old toward a loan. Inter have already seen suggestions that they could flip Stankovic for an immediate profit or at least park him elsewhere for regular minutes in 2026-27.

He is resisting that logic. The message from his camp is firm: he wants to stay, train under Chivu, and compete with Barella, Calhanoglu, Jones and the rest every day. No loan, no detours.

For Inter, it sets up a fascinating test. They paid like a club buying a key piece for the future. Now they have a player who is demanding his chance in the present.