Inter vs. Napoli: Can Cristian Chivu integrate his new English signings ahead of a crucial stretch of matches?

The Nerazzurri will meet Napoli on Saturday at San Siro before their Champions League opener against Real Madrid Sep 4, 2026 at 3:21 pm ET • 4 min read Inter will host Napoli at San Siro on Saturday for the first big match of the 2026-2027 Serie A season (you can catch the action on CBS), in a clash that should offer an early indication of both clubs' ambitions as the new campaign gets underway. The two sides had a different summer. Inter, despite the title won under Cristian Chivu in his first season in charge of the Italian giants, decided to make some changes in the roster. At the same time, Napoli basically didn't touch the squad but made a much bigger shift as former coach Antonio Conte left his job and was replaced by Massimiliano Allegri, who kicked things off with one away win against Genoa, and one defeat at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona against Como. While the Azzurri will face Arsenal in another key test later this week, Inter are still adapting to a new squad. Chivu's biggest challenge will be integrating the new arrivals as quickly as possible, especially with a demanding schedule on the horizon. The Nerazzurri will travel to the Bernabeu on Tuesday to face Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid in an exciting and nostalgic reunion with the manager who brought the Champions League back to Milan after a 45-year wait, lifting the trophy in the same stadium in 2010 before leaving to join Real Madrid for the first time. Here's what Chivu needs to do, and what are the issues he will face in the coming weeks: How to watch Inter vs. Napoli, odds Date: Saturday, September 5 | Time: 12 p.m. ETLocation: San Siro -- Milan TV: CBS - Live stream: Paramount+Odds: Inter -159; Draw +275; Napoli +445Inter had to replace Denzel Dumfries in the summer, a key player over the past years since he joined in the summer of 2021 to replace Achraf Hakimi when the Moroccan star joined PSG after winning the Scudetto under Antonio Conte. Dumfries signed for Real Madrid and Inter struggled to sign their new right back after failing to reach an agreement with Atalanta for Marco Palestra, who instead opted to join Chelsea. Later, Anan Khalaili's move also fell through after he failed his medical examination, despite Inter and Union SG having reached an agreement over the transfer. With less than a month to go before the end of the summer transfer window, Inter ended up signing Djed Spence from Tottenham, one of the most surprising players of Thomas Tuchel's England at the 2026 World Cup. Alongside Spence, Inter have also signed two other English players -- defender John Stones after his contract with Manchester City expired and Curtis Jones from Liverpool for around $35 million. They're three English players who can improve the quality of the roster, but who also need to adapt to a new country, language and league in the shortest time possible. Speaking about the plans to integrate them shortly during the pre-match press conference, Chivu said: "I've learned not to make plans. There's a bit of concern about what hasn't happened during my management of the group in these two games. You're curious about Spence, Jones and Stones. I'm curious about Carlos Augusto and Mkhitaryan, who haven't come on yet, and about those who have always been a fundamental part of the group over the years and in what they show on a daily basis. Stones and Jones are doing well; you've seen them on the pitch for spells. They'll have opportunities to show what they can do, and we know the contribution they'll make during the season. They'll soon show how good they are. Spence is undergoing his rehabilitation, recovering from his problem, and when he's ready, we'll let you see him." All three players will face different and specific challenges as they adapt to their new surroundings: Stones will need to adapt to a new defensive system, having rarely played in a back three during his years at City. However, it should be a relatively straightforward tactical adjustment, as he will have two other center backs providing additional cover, and the debut against Cagliari over the last weekend was promising in this sense. Stones will replace Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij, who both left Inter in the summer as free agents. Curtis Jones is the one who needs to bring something different to the attacking midfield, adding more unpredictability and technical quality in the final third. This is why, tactically speaking, he has fewer responsibilities than Stones and, in particular, Spence.Spence, playing as a wing back for Inter, is the one who comes with the biggest questions. He arrived at Inter injured, and he's still recovering, as Chivu mentioned in the press conference. Being a winger in the 3-5-2 deployed by the Nerazzurri manager is a much more challenging role compared to the others, as you need to be careful defensively but also an attacking winger when needed, as Dumfries did well before him. Even the Dutch player had to adapt, and it took him some time to become what he's considered today, and this is why Inter fans will probably need to be patient with the former Tottenham fullback. On another note, the three English players officially became the final signings of former Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio, who left his role at the club after more than a decade, bringing his 30-year association with the Nerazzurri to an end. Inter announced he was replaced by his former number two, Dario Baccin, who will lead Inter's sports operations in the future, but Ausilio's cycle marked an era at the club. He survived four different ownerships and challenges that the club faced over the years, and his decision to leave has inevitably raised questions about the reasons behind it and what comes next for one of the most influential figures in Inter's recent history. For sure, he left a mark and the three English players are only the last chapter of his work at the club.