Inter Milan have announced the signing of Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi on loan with an obligation to buy in 2024.
The 23-year-old becomes Simone Inzaghi's second new arrival of the summer window following the capture of Marcus Thuram on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Inter are understood to have paid a €6m (£5.1m) loan fee to sign Frattesi, while Nerazzurri striker Samuele Mulattieri has headed in the opposite direction as part of the deal.
The obligation to buy clause in Frattesi's contract is apparently set at €25m (£21.4m), and Sassuolo could receive another €5m (£4.3m) through performance-related add-ons.
Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion were both said to have been tracking Frattesi, but the lynchpin only had eyes for Inter, who recently lost Marcelo Brozovic to Al-Nassr.
"You just need to look around you to understand the importance of this Club. It all started a year and a half ago when I played against Inter and was really impressed by the stadium and fans. This is a very important factor for me, which is why I didn't have any second thoughts when this opportunity presented itself," Frattesi told Inter's media channels.
"I certainly hope to win a few trophies. I'll show commitment and professionalism, and I hope to score a few goals.
Look at that smile 😀🖤💙#ForzaInter #WelcomeDavide pic.twitter.com/4JVNp1CILt
— Inter (@Inter_en) July 6, 2023
"They're all great guys. I've known Alessandro Bastoni for the longest. Like me, he was born in 1999 and we progressed through the Italy youth ranks together. I can't wait to be his teammate at club level.
"I'll be playing alongside champions and I can only learn things from them during training. I'll try to take the positive things on board and then display them out on the pitch. It'll be an honour and a pleasure for me."
Frattesi came through the youth academies of Roma and Lazio before joining Sassuolo in a €5m (£4.3m) deal in the summer of 2017, and the 23-year-old forged a reputation as a goalscoring midfielder during loan spells with Empoli and Monza.
The Italian made his breakthrough in the Sassuolo first team during the 2021-22 season, scoring four goals and setting up four more in 36 Serie A appearances for the Neroverdi.
Frattesi continued his progression last term with seven goals in another 36 top-flight outings, taking his total for Sassuolo to 11 goals and four assists from 76 matches in all tournaments.
Italy boss Roberto Mancini awarded Frattesi his Azzurri debut in a Nations League draw with Germany last June, and the 23-year-old recently produced a man-of-the-match display in the Nations League finals, coming up with a goal and assist in Italy's 3-2 win over the Netherlands in the third-placed playoff last month.
Ben Knapton
