Calhanoglu back in training, but the real question is his Inter renewal

Hakan Calhanoglu is back training with the group at Appiano Gentile, and the adductor strain that kept him out against Udinese and Roma in Inter's last two league games appears to be behind him. The final call on his involvement will come only on Friday, but the mood inside the club is positive: the Turkish playmaker should be available to Cristian Chivu for Saturday's match against Parma at San Siro, though starting from the bench looks more likely than a place in the XI, with the priority being to build up minutes ahead of the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge.

Caution has become almost automatic whenever Calhanoglu's name comes up: since 2024/25 the Turkish regista has racked up eleven muscle problems, missed 34 games and spent a combined 211 days out injured, a tally Chivu and Inter's medical staff cannot ignore as they manage his workload through the coming weeks of fixtures packed between the league and Europe.

The fragile body that needs careful handling now overlaps with an even thornier issue: his contract. Calhanoglu is out of contract in June 2027, and after both sides agreed last season to shelve any renewal talks, the dialogue between Inter and his agent Stipic has reopened since Dario Baccin's arrival in the club's management. Inter are ready to offer an extension, but on different terms from his current deal: a lower guaranteed base salary, balanced by a larger bonus package tied in particular to appearances, which in theory could bring his total pay close to what he earns now. It remains to be seen whether Calhanoglu, who has been courted more than once by Galatasaray and Fenerbahce without Inter ever truly opening the door to a sale, will accept the proposal or weigh a move to Turkey now that he could leave Italy for free.

For fantacalcio managers who own him, our price 28 in the 21-30 tier, the return to full training is the news that matters most right now: even a half-fit Calhanoglu takes playing time away from Barella, Zieliński and Diouf in building Inter's play, but the uncertainty over his minutes on Saturday argues for caution before starting him this round. The renewal question, on the other hand, is a longer game worth following: a breakdown in talks would open up transfer scenarios, with Juventus already flagged among those watching the situation from a distance, ready to move only if talks with Inter collapse.