Ivan Perišić wants to return to Inter, but there is still no offer from Milan
Ivan Perišić has once again opened the door to a return to Inter, the club where he spent the largest part of his career in one of Europe's five strongest leagues and won the Italian championship. After the 2026 World Cup, the Croatian international made no secret of the fact that he would wear the black-and-blue shirt again, while his statements and social media posts sparked a new wave of speculation in the Italian media. However, there is currently a considerable gap between the player's wishes and a concrete transfer. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on 21 July that Inter no longer view the 37-year-old winger as a priority signing and that the club are working on other solutions. According to the available information, no official offer has been sent from Milan to PSV, meaning that the possible return is currently based on Perišić's openness, his strong connection with Inter and media assessments.
The story did not emerge solely from social media. Following Croatia's victory over Ghana at the World Cup, Perišić explained that a return had already been possible during the winter transfer window, but PSV did not want to let him leave. Eurosport reported his message to Inter's management, according to which the president and sporting director of the Milan club know where he is and can contact him if they want to bring him back. The statement was clear enough to remove any doubt about the player's position, but it did not mean that a new agreement existed between the clubs. Inter had different short-term requirements in January, while they changed their order of priorities during the summer transfer window. That difference is crucial to understanding why the transfer, despite Perišić's wishes, is not considered close to completion.
PSV stopped the winter attempt
Inter did indeed explore the possibility of Perišić's return in January. Sky Sport Italia reported at the time that the Milan officials were prepared to continue negotiations if PSV opened the door to his departure, while Football Italia stated that the Dutch club had refused to consider offers. Inter were looking for an experienced and financially affordable solution on the flank following Denzel Dumfries' injury, and Perišić fitted that profile: he knew the club, the league, the demands of Italian football and the way of working within a team with high competitive ambitions. According to reports at the time, a temporary transfer or another formula that would not impose a major cost on Inter was discussed. PSV, however, did not want to lose an important player in the middle of the season, particularly during a period in which they were competing for the domestic title and playing European matches.
Perišić's later statement confirmed what the Italian media had reported throughout January: the obstacle was not his willingness to return, but PSV's decision. The Dutch club held a strong negotiating position because Perišić had signed a new contract in June 2025 running until the summer of 2027. In their official announcement, PSV highlighted his experience, professionalism and influence on younger teammates, while the player himself said that he still had high personal and team ambitions. Such a contract means that Inter cannot negotiate solely with the player, but must also reach an agreement with the Eindhoven club. Even if PSV were prepared to hold talks, the transfer fee, contractual terms and role within the team would have to be agreed before any serious progress could be made.
The situation changed during the summer, primarily on Inter's side. La Gazzetta dello Sport states that Perišić was a logical temporary solution to a specific problem in January, but that he is no longer among the main options. This does not mean that the Milan club have issued an official statement completely ruling out the transfer, but rather that, according to the current media information, there are no active negotiations or offers. Circumstances can change quickly during transfer windows because of departures, injuries or failed negotiations with other players, but there is currently no confirmation that Inter have reactivated their January plan. Perišić's messages therefore keep the subject in the public eye, but they do not represent evidence that a deal is being prepared behind closed doors.
Social media reignited speculation
Additional attention was generated by Perišić's posts connected with Inter. FCInterNews reported that he shared an Inter post on Instagram dedicated to Milan club players who appeared in World Cup finals from 1982 to 2026. Perišić, a 2018 World Cup finalist with Croatia, appeared in the graphic alongside his former teammate Marcelo Brozović. Earlier, following Petar Sučić's goal against Ghana, he posted a photograph of them together accompanied by black-and-blue symbols, which the Italian media interpreted as another indication of his attachment to Inter. Such actions have a strong impact among supporters, but they carry no formal weight in transfer terms.
Perišić's connection with Inter is not merely sentimental. The club's official archive records 258 appearances and 58 goals for him in all competitions, placing him among the more notable foreign players in the club's recent history. He first arrived in Milan from Wolfsburg in 2015 and established himself during his first spell as a winger capable of playing on either side. He spent the 2019/2020 season on loan at Bayern, with whom he won the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup, before returning to Inter. During his second spell in Milan, he became an important player in a system featuring three defenders, initially as a winger and later as a wing-back covering the entire side of the pitch.
His contribution was particularly prominent during the period of Inter's greatest domestic success following a long wait. Perišić won Serie A with the club in the 2020/2021 season, followed by the Italian Cup and Italian Super Cup. In the 2022 Coppa Italia final against Juventus, he scored twice in extra time and was named the best player of the match, producing one of the most memorable performances of the closing stages of his first Italian era. Inter's official website highlighted his speed, work rate, assists and ability to decide important matches. When he left for Tottenham in the summer of 2022, he left behind a sporting relationship that means the idea of a return does not appear completely illogical even four years later.
PSV have no reason to rush a sale
Perišić did not arrive in Eindhoven merely as a famous name approaching the end of his career. In Dutch football, he once again demonstrated that he could play regularly, create chances and score goals, while Eurosport states that he recorded 78 appearances and 26 goals during two seasons with PSV. On 5 April 2026, PSV officially confirmed that they had won their third consecutive Dutch championship and the 27th league title in the club's history. The team secured the title more than a month before the end of the championship, demonstrating how convincing they had been throughout the season. In such an environment, Perišić was not merely a marketing addition, but part of the experienced core of a team that maintained its domestic dominance. His value to PSV therefore cannot be assessed solely according to his age or the remaining length of his contract.
The official announcement of his contract extension in June 2025 demonstrated how PSV view his role. Director of Football Earnest Stewart described him as an example of what is required to reach the highest level and remain in elite football for a long period. The club particularly highlighted his influence on younger players, while Perišić stressed that he wanted to help new generations and pass on the experience gained in Belgium, Germany, Italy and England. Such a status makes it difficult for PSV to accept a symbolic offer merely because the player wants to leave. The Dutch champions may decide that Perišić is worth more to them in sporting and mentoring terms than the transfer fee the market would offer for a 37-year-old footballer.
On the other hand, his contract until 2027 is entering its final year, meaning that the summer of 2026 could be PSV's final opportunity to receive a more significant transfer fee before the player enters the concluding phase of his agreement. This creates room for negotiations only if three conditions are met simultaneously: Inter must decide that they genuinely need Perišić, PSV must agree to discuss a departure, and the player and the Milan club must agree personal terms. It has not currently been confirmed that even the first of those conditions has been fulfilled. Without an official initiative from Inter, PSV have no reason to publicly change the position they adopted in January. The claim that a return is close is therefore premature at present, even if Perišić's wishes are beyond doubt.
Experience and versatility remain his strongest arguments
Perišić's main argument is not potential future resale value, but his ability to make an immediate contribution. During his career, he has played as a left and right winger, a wing-back in a system with three central defenders, a second striker and occasionally as a conventional full-back. He is equally capable with both feet, can attack space without the ball, deliver quality crosses while running and assist during defensive transitions. Such versatility was particularly appreciated at Inter for years, where he worked with several coaches during different periods and accepted changes to his role. For a team seeking an experienced rotation option, his profile can still make sense, particularly during a season featuring a large number of matches.
Age nevertheless remains an important part of the assessment. Perišić was born on 2 February 1989 and will play the 2026/2027 season at the age of 37, meaning every interested club must assess his workload, the length of a potential contract and expected playing time. His physical condition and continuity of appearances demonstrate that he cannot automatically be written off solely because of his year of birth, but a long-term project can hardly be built around him. According to Gazzetta's report, Inter are giving priority to different profiles and different team requirements during the current transfer window. In that context, Perišić may remain a reserve market option, but not a player around whom the main transfer operation is currently being conducted.
A potential return would also carry a clear emotional dimension. Supporters remember his role in winning the championship, his two decisive goals in the cup final against Juventus and the fact that he accepted a more demanding position on the flank after returning from his loan at Bayern. At the same time, club decisions are not made solely on the basis of past achievements. Inter must assess whether Perišić fits the current structure of the team, how much he would play and whether his arrival would slow the development or recruitment of a younger option. PSV, meanwhile, must assess whether they could maintain their squad depth, experience and working standards without him, qualities the club publicly highlighted when extending his contract.
A third spell in the black-and-blue shirt remains only a possibility
A potential new arrival is often described as Perišić's third spell at Inter. The first lasted from his transfer from Wolfsburg in 2015 until his loan move to Bayern in 2019, while the second lasted from his return from Munich in 2020 until the expiry of his contract and departure for Tottenham in 2022. That historical framework explains why every post he makes in connection with Inter is closely followed in Italy. Few active players simultaneously possess such a strong relationship with a former club, extensive experience in the biggest competitions and a willingness to publicly state that they would return. However, precisely for that reason, it is necessary to distinguish the player's genuine wishes from the actual state of negotiations.
As of 26 July 2026, the most firmly confirmed facts remain straightforward: Perišić wants to keep the door open to Inter, PSV did not allow him to leave in January, his contract runs until the summer of 2027, and Inter have not yet sent him an offer. Italian sources that followed the story during the winter confirm that interest existed at the time, while the latest report from La Gazzetta dello Sport states that the Milan club have now turned to other options. This leaves room for a change only if Inter's needs or PSV's position change during the transfer window. Until that happens, Perišić's return remains a compelling football story, but not a transfer close to completion.
Sources:
- La Gazzetta dello Sport – Inter's current position, Perišić's messages and the difference between the winter and summer transfer windows (link)
- Eurosport Italia – Perišić's statement after the match against Ghana and statistics on his appearances and goals for PSV (link)
- PSV Eindhoven – official confirmation of Ivan Perišić's contract until the summer of 2027 and an explanation of his role within the team (link)
- PSV Eindhoven – official confirmation of the 2026 Dutch championship and the 27th league title in the club's history (link)
- Inter – official archive of Ivan Perišić's appearances, goals and trophies in the black-and-blue shirt (link)
- Inter – report on Perišić's role and his two goals in the 2022 Coppa Italia final against Juventus (link)
- Sky Sport Italia – the course of the winter negotiations and the conditions under which Inter considered his return (link)
- Football Italia – PSV's refusal to consider offers and Inter's January interest in an experienced solution on the flank (link)
- FCInterNews – social media posts that reignited speculation about a return (link)