Inter pursuing permanent deals for Rafinha and Joao Cancelo

Rafinha and Joao Cancelo may not return to Spain as Inter seek to keep the pair at San Siro beyond this season.

Inter are working on tying loanees Rafinha and Joao Cancelo to permanent deals, the club's sporting director Piero Ausilio has confirmed.

The Nerazzurri have the option to purchase the pair outright from Barcelona and Valencia respectively at the conclusion of the current campaign.

Rafinha has spoken openly of his desire to remain at Inter beyond his initial six-month spell, while Portugal international Cancelo has started eight straight matches.

However, Ausilio warned it would not be easy to complete the transfers, with 25-year-old Rafinha potentially costing up to €38million.

"Rafinha and Cancelo are important players and we will do everything to build a future with them," Ausilio told Premium Sport.

"We know they have substantial buy-out clauses. We still have a long way ahead, we will work out our strategies in time."