A move to England may beckon for the duo, as they are reported to have had bids from Premier League sides accepted this week, as Mancini aims to restructure his squad.
Watford agreed a deal for Santon, but he would prefer to stay at Inter.
“[On Shaqiri and Santon] If we took them in January, it’s because we thought they would do well,” Mancini told reporters at a press conference on Friday.
“The fact that so many clubs are interested in them means we were not wrong.
“The squad limit is 25, and unfortunately someone will have to go, as we have over 30 players currently.
“Santon in particular has improved since last season. They will be two great acquisitions for the English Premier League.”