Inter Milan Announce Exits of Skriniar, D’Ambrosio and Gagliardini

Football - Champions League Final - Manchester City v Inter Milan - Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Türkiye - June 10, 2023 Inter Milan's Danilo D'Ambrosio looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League Final - Manchester City v Inter Milan - Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Türkiye - June 10, 2023 Inter Milan's Danilo D'Ambrosio looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
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Inter Milan Announce Exits of Skriniar, D’Ambrosio and Gagliardini

Football - Champions League Final - Manchester City v Inter Milan - Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Türkiye - June 10, 2023 Inter Milan's Danilo D'Ambrosio looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League Final - Manchester City v Inter Milan - Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Türkiye - June 10, 2023 Inter Milan's Danilo D'Ambrosio looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)

Inter Milan have announced the departures of defenders Milan Skriniar and Danilo D'Ambrosio and midfielder Roberto Gagliardini from the club upon the expiry of their contracts.

The 28-year-old Skriniar, who captains Slovakia, has won a Scudetto, two Italian Cups and two Italian Super Cups during a six seasons with the Nerazzurri, for whom he made 246 appearances and scored 11 goals.

Skriniar's last season was plagued by injuries as he missed over 20 games in all competitions with Inter, who finished third in the Italian top flight. Skriniar has been linked to a move to Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain.

"At Inter since the summer of 2017, Skriniar has been one of the protagonists of Inter's extraordinary growth path, which began with their return to the Champions League in 2018...," Inter said in a statement.

D'Ambrosio, 34, will also leave the three-time European champions after almost a decade, having won a Serie A title, the Coppa Italia twice and the Supercoppa Italiana on two occasions.

"284 appearances in the Nerazzurri shirt and almost ten years full of heart, discipline and commitment to the Inter cause," the club said.

"D'Ambrosio arrived in Milano in January 2014... Consistency, determination, versatility and experience have made him a key figure over the past decade, during which he's gained a special place in the fans' hearts..."

D'Ambrosio ends his playing career with Inter after netting 21 times and providing 20 assists.

D'Ambrosio's Italian compatriot Gagliardini will depart the club after joining from Atalanta in 2017 and playing 190 games, in which he scored 16 goals.

The 29-year-old Gagliardini has won a Scudetto, two Supercoppa Italiana titles and two Coppa Italia titles during his time at Inter.

Inter lost to Manchester City in the Champions League last month.



Sinner, Djokovic in Opposite Halves at Australian Open, Sabalenka vs Stephens in 1st Round

09 January 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner pose with Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup during the draw for the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament, at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP/dpa
09 January 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner pose with Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup during the draw for the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament, at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP/dpa
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Sinner, Djokovic in Opposite Halves at Australian Open, Sabalenka vs Stephens in 1st Round

09 January 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner pose with Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup during the draw for the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament, at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP/dpa
09 January 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner pose with Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup during the draw for the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament, at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP/dpa

Defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic have landed in opposite sides of the draw for the season’s first major, ruling out a replay of last year’s semifinal match.
Sinner upset Djokovic in the semifinals at the Australian Open last year before coming back to beat Daniil Medvedev in the final 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 for his first Grand Slam singles title.
Top-ranked Sinner has a first-round match against Nicolas Jarry and also has Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Medvedev in his quarter of the draw. Fritz will open against fellow American Jenson Brooksby.
Djokovic and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz could meet in the quarterfinals, with a possible semifinal against No. 2 Alexander Zverev.
At the draw Thursday to set the brackets for the singles fields, defending champions Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka walked into the official ceremony holding thei trophies.
Sabalenka won her second consecutive title at Melbourne Park in 2024 by defeating Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 in the final. Sabalenka will be attempting to win a third consecutive women’s singles title at Melbourne Park, something last accomplished by Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999.
Sabalenka drew a tough opening match against 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and has 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva and Zheng in her section.
“I have a lot of great memories and to be back here ... as a two-time Australian Open champion, it’s definitely something special,” Sabalenka, who won the Brisbane International title last week, said at the draw ceremony. “I hope that I can keep doing what I’m doing here in Australia.”
Third-seeded Coco Gauff is a potential semifinal rival for Sabalenka. Gauff has a challenging first-round match against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and is in the same section of the draw as seventh-seeded Jessica Pegula.
The Australian Open starts Sunday morning in Melbourne (Saturday night EST) and will run for 15 days.
Djokovic will be playing in his first event alongside new coach Andy Murray, his former on-court rival and a three-time major champion. Nobody has won the men's title at Melbourne Park more often than Djokovic, although he said he still feels trauma from the one year he wasn’t allowed to play.
Nick Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up who withdrew from an exhibition against Djokovic this week because of an abdominal strain, will face Jacob Fearnley in the first round if the mercurial Australian is fit enough to contest his first major since the 2022 US Open. Kyrgios is in the same section as Zverev.