Bologna take free agent Darmian on trial three months after Inter departure
According to Tuesday’s reports, former Inter, Torino and Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian is set to train with Bologna with a view to a potential permanent contract following an injury to Rossoblu right-back Emil Holm.
Report: Darmian to join Bologna on trial
Darmian, 36, has been available as a free agent after leaving Inter at the end of his contract on June 30 earlier this year.
He had spent six years with the Nerazzurri, making 218 appearances across all competitions in a successful spell that saw him walk away with three Serie A titles, three from the Coppa Italia, medals, three from the Supercoppa Italiana and two Champions League runners-up medals.
Darmian bid farewell to Inter supporters in a long Instagram post over the summer, but did not formally announce that he would be calling it a day on his playing career, despite the fact that he will be 37 in December.
The first half of his 2025-26 season was hampered by a calf injury, which kept him out of action for 19 consecutive matches across all competitions, which limited him to a total of just nine competitive appearances last term. He had appeared in 49 matches across all competitions in 2024-25.
According to reports over the summer, Darmian had several offers from Serie A sides, reportedly including Sassuolo, Udinese, Monza and Venezia, as well as an offer to join the Inter coaching or youth staff. However, after five matches of the 2026-27 Serie A season, he still remains available as a free agent.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Darmian is set to begin training with Bologna on a trial basis in the coming days following the news that right-back Holm requires surgery and could miss around four months of action after suffering a hamstring injury during Sweden’s recent Nations League victory over Romania.
Bologna staff will use their coming training sessions to make their assessments on the veteran defenders’ physical condition after going three months without a club.
It has been a disappointing start to the 2026-27 season for Bologna, who are currently in 18th place in the table after picking up just two points from their first five league matches.
They became the second Serie A club to make a managerial change in 2026-27, giving Domenico Tedesco his marching orders just four games and one point into his Rossoblu career, and replacing him with Raffaele Palladino, who drew 1-1 at home with Torino in his first match in charge.
