Reports in Italy suggest that Inter will announce the signature of Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari before the end of the day.
New Nerazzurri boss Jose Mourinho had been determined to sign Chelsea star Frank Lampard.
However, it seems that the England international won’t be leaving Stamford Bridge this summer and is edging towards signing a new contract.
Ready to accept defeat, Inter have turned to their back-up target Muntari, who made his name at Udinese between 2002 and 2007.
The Ghanaian international is expected to fetch around £12m plus bonuses, while Beneamata directors Marco Branca and Lele Oriali have tried to find a contract agreement with the 23-year-old.
It is believed that Muntari is ready to accept a five-year deal with a salary that starts at £1.4m and rises to £2m with performance-related extras.
Despite Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp insisting that he knows nothing about the move, Muntari could arrive today or tomorrow.
Udinese will also benefit from a move as the Friulani wrote a sell-on clause into his contract when he moved to Fratton Park.
Meanwhile, links with Porto star Ricardo Quaresma are fading as the Dragons continue to demand £20m – a sum that Massimo Moratti is unwilling to pay.作者: 蓝黑情愫 时间: 2008-7-24 18:24:04