Negotiations between Inter chiefs and Federico Dimarco over a contract extension remain uncertain. Although there is cautious optimism within the club that a deal will eventually be reached, the Italian international's desire for a significant pay rise has met with resistance from the board. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Dimarco and his new representatives are targeting a deal worth as much as €7,500,000 per season, which would make him one of the highest-paid players in the squad, second only to the untouchable Lautaro Martinez. However, the Italian giants have entirely different plans and are in no hurry to meet his demands.Inter face a contract dilemma with Federico Dimarco. He reportedly wants €7.5m annually, but the club prefers a lower fixed salary with performance bonuses. Inter can extend his deal until 2028, giving them time to negotiate without compromising their wage structure. https://t.co/JL3d83GJKn— Football Beyond The Game (@fbtg_official) October 25, 2026 As a first step towards protecting their interests, Inter will exercise a clause allowing them to unilaterally extend the left-sided player's current contract from 2027 to 2028. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the club's hierarchy intends to activate this provision before the end of the year, keeping the player on his current salary of €5,200,000 per season. This would be the case despite Dimarco's recent failure to match the levels he reached last season, when he registered seven goals and 18 assists. The player himself has made no secret of his frustration, publicly pointing out at a recent awards ceremony that nobody from the club's management had yet invited him to formal negotiations. Meanwhile, he is also feeling the pressure within the squad, with competition for a starting spot coming from the likes of Carlos Augusto.As the respected Italian newspaper further reports, Inter's ownership group has a clear strategy: keeping strict control over the wage bill. While the club appreciate everything Dimarco has done for Inter and recognises his commitment to the Nerazzurri, there are limits that must be respected. Douglas Luiz delivers at last as Juve end Serie A misery with Lecce winFurthermore, there are currently no other offers on the market that would guarantee Dimarco the salary he is seeking, particularly given that he is entering the latter stages of his playing career. Another complicating factor for Inter is the abolition of tax breaks, which has made contract renewals for Italian players significantly more expensive than those for foreign players, such as Marcus Thuram.La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the two parties will have to find a compromise in the coming period. Inter's new American ownership model increasingly ties contracts to on-pitch performances and performance-related incentives. The basic salary will be more modest, with overall earnings rising significantly through achievable bonuses. The newspaper concludes that this formula will apply to Dimarco as well as Hakan Calhanoglu, whose representatives are expected to hold similar talks with the club soon. This comes after Inter successfully secured Carlos Augusto's long-term future with a contract running until 2031.##NAJAVA_MECA_10062778##
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