Before a ball is kicked at San Siro, the derby already has a transfer-market scoreline. AC Milan spent €161 million in the summer window and collected €90.5 million in sales, leaving a net balance of -€70.5 million. Inter spent €105.5 million and brought in €40 million, which leaves them at -€65.5 million. The gross outlay looks very different. The final balance is much closer.
Milan's bigger bill
Milan's biggest single signing was Gonçalo Ramos, with €74 million paid to Paris Saint Germain for his registration. That fee alone accounts for a big slice of the club's summer spend, and it shows where Milan chose to concentrate their money. Ramos has already made 9 Serie A appearances, so this was not just a long-term punt on a player who might arrive later.
Inter's spread of spending
Inter's main expenses included Curtis Jones, Djed Spence, the buy-back of Aleksandar Stankovic and the purchase of Akanji. The club have used the market in a different way from Milan, with a mix of permanent moves, buy-backs and loans shaping the rebuild. That gives the spending list a less dramatic headline number, but it also leaves Inter only €5 million behind Milan on net balance, despite the smaller gross spend.
That gap is the useful lens for this derby. Milan have spent more up front, but Inter's business has been built around spreading the cost and keeping the net damage nearly level. The market war is tighter than the raw spend figures suggest, and San Siro will still stage a derby where the transfer books are almost as close as the teams themselves.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
