Official: Bologna sign Matteo Darmian on free transfer from Inter
Quick summary
Bologna have officially signed experienced Italian defender Matteo Darmian on a free transfer from Inter, bringing the former Manchester United man back to Serie A football.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceFormer Inter, Manchester United and Torino defender Matteo Darmian has officially been announced as a new Bologna player after spending the last week on trial with the Rossoblu.
Official: Darmian joins Bologna on free transfer The 36-year-old has joined Bologna on a free transfer and has put pen to paper on a contract that will run until the end of the 2026-27 season. Reports earlier this week suggest that there will be an option to extend for an additional 12 months.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 17: Matteo Darmian of FC Internazionale Milano poses for a photo with the Coppa Campioni d’Italia and Coppa Italia trophies following the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Hellas Verona FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Darmian has been available as a free agent after leaving Inter at the end of the 2025-26 season. He made 218 appearances across all competitions for the Nerazzurri and was part of the squads that won three Serie A titles, three Coppa Italia trophies, three Supercoppa Italiana finals and finished as Champions League runners-up in 2023 and 2025.
The veteran full-back had several opportunities at the end of his Inter contract, including from several newly-promoted sides and even an offer of a backroom role in San Siro according to previous reports.
He instead decided to take his time to weigh up his next steps and eventually accepted an offer to begin training with Bologna following a serious injury to Rossoblu right-back Emil Holm while away on international duty with Sweden during the September-October break.
SASSUOLO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 08: Matteo Darmian of FC Internazionale celebrates during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and FC Internazionale at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on February 08, 2026 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) Holm has since had surgery and is expected to miss between four and six months of action.
This has provided Darmian with an opportunity to return to Serie A after going just over three months without a club.
He joins Bologna in time for their next Serie A match, which comes away against Lecce at 14.00 BST on Sunday afternoon.
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What happened
Bologna have completed the free transfer signing of Matteo Darmian from Inter. The 35-year-old Italian full-back, who previously spent four seasons at Manchester United between 2015 and 2019, returns to familiar Serie A surroundings after winning the Scudetto with Inter last season. The move gives Bologna valuable defensive depth as they prepare for their Champions League campaign, while freeing up wage space at Inter ahead of their own transfer window activity.
Chance analysis
Bologna continue to demonstrate the kind of shrewd, low-cost recruitment that has powered their recent rise under Vincenzo Italiano, picking up a serial winner in Darmian without paying a transfer fee. For Inter, offloading a senior defender on a free is largely a salary-clearing exercise rather than a sporting loss, with the Italian champions already well-stocked at full-back. Darmian's versatility across both flanks and his big-game pedigree — including Premier League, Serie A, and Champions League experience — make him a smart, low-risk addition for a Bologna side balancing domestic and European demands.
Bologna's defensive depth improves for the new season, while Inter lose a rotational full-back on a free, freeing wages with minimal sporting impact.