June 30 (Reuters) - Serie ⁠A's Inter Milan are preparing for a ⁠generational overhaul in the new season after announcing ‌the departures of Stefan de Vrij, Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi and Yann Sommer when their contracts expired on Tuesday.

Replacing ​the 37-year-old goalkeeper Sommer might be ⁠the most pressing ⁠priority for the current Serie A and Coppa Italia ⁠champions. ‌The Switzerland international, who arrived from Bayern Munich in August 2023 to replace ⁠Andre Onana, made 139 appearances for Inter ​and kept 66 ‌clean sheets across his three seasons in ⁠Milan.

He quickly ​established himself as a key playmaker from the back, adapting seamlessly to the build-ups from deep favoured ⁠by managers Simone Inzaghi and Cristian ​Chivu. Inter are said to be looking to recruit Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, or hand the long-term ⁠role to current understudy Josep Martínez.

The exits of Acerbi, 38, and de Vrij, 34, leave the central defensive unit requiring a complete overhaul. The ​veteran pair were part of ⁠a three-man rotating backline that was a vital part ​of last season's success.

Darmian, 36, ‌struggled last season with injuries ​and had little playing time.

(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Kevin Liffey)