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Italian champions Inter Milan set for pre-season visit to China as they prepare to defend Serie A crown – sources

  • Tour not yet official but likely to be on last week of July and based in Chengdu with opponents not yet known
  • Inter, owned by Chinese businessman Steven Zhang, last visited China for tour in 2019

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Inter players celebrate victory over rivals Milan which secured the Italian championship. Photo: Xinhua

Inter are planning a pre-season tour in China, sources at the club have told the South China Morning Post.

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The Nerazzurri were officially crowned the 2023-24 Serie A champions with an historic victory in the derby over Milan earlier this week and are now planning for their title defence.

A source at Inter confirmed to the Post that they are close to finalising the tour but it is not yet official, and the plan is to visit Chengdu in the last week of July.

It is unclear at this stage how many of Inter’s biggest stars will be among the travelling party, given the proposed tour comes after two major continental tournaments, with the finals of the Uefa European Championship and CONMEBOL Copa America both scheduled for July 14.

Club captain Lautaro Martinez is expected to form part of the Argentina team which is looking to defend its Copa America crown in the United States, while several of Inter’s European stars are likely to go far in the Euros in Germany.

Fans in Singapore enjoy watching Inter beat Chelsea 2-1 during their pre-season tour in 2017. Photo: EPA
Fans in Singapore enjoy watching Inter beat Chelsea 2-1 during their pre-season tour in 2017. Photo: EPA

Inter director Beppe Marotta recently suggested Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski and Porto striker Mehdi Taremi are likely to arrive on free transfers, so fans in China could see the two new boys in action.

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