Aleksandar Stankovic has made just two appearances for Inter this season, both off the bench, totalling 15 minutes, and could be sent out on loan again in January if he fails to break into Cristian Chivu’s rotations.

The 21-year-old midfielder came on against Monza and Udinese but has otherwise watched from the sidelines. A heavier fixture list after the international break, however, could open the door to more minutes.

Stankovic chose to stay in Milan over the summer despite transfer interest elsewhere, convinced he could carve out a role either as a mezzala or as cover for Hakan Calhanoglu in the regista position, a stance explored in detail when Stankovic’s valuation and Chivu’s plans for him were first assessed. According to Corriere dello Sport, if his minutes stay this limited, a January loan could take shape to give him the continuity he currently lacks.

The contrast with last season is stark. At Club Brugge, Stankovic made 55 appearances and scored nine goals, starting all ten of the club’s Champions League matches, a run that followed Inter’s move to bring him back to Milan, detailed when Inter activated their buyback clause .

He’ll get a chance to stay sharp during the break regardless, with Serbia facing the Netherlands, Greece and Germany in the Nations League.

Inter invested €23 million to exercise their right to buy back the Dejan Stankovic’s son, and rejected a €40 million offer from Brentford over the summer. Those figures underline why his playing-time situation matters, even after he impressed Chivu during pre-season, as seen in Inter’s pre-season tour .

Stankovic must now make the most of whatever chances Chivu grants him after the break. If his minutes fail to increase meaningfully, a January loan remains the logical fallback, though no such move has been agreed.