Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari was expected to complete a £12,7 million (about R190,4milion) move to Inter Milan yesterday.
Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari was expected to complete a £12,7 million (about R190,4milion) move to Inter Milan yesterday.
The 23-year-old Ghana international has agreed to a four-year contract with the Italian champions.
The signing suggests that Inter boss Jose Mourinho has given up hope of signing Frank Lampard this summer.
Mourinho had been desperate to land an attacking central midfielder - Lampard was his first choice, with Muntari regarded as the best alternative.
Portsmouth signed Muntari from Udinese for £7m in May last year and he was an ever-present in their first team last season, scoring seven goals.
Last week Pompey boss Harry Redknapp said he was very reluctant to allow the Ghana international to leave Fratton Park.
"We haven't spoken to anybody and I don't want to sell Sulley anyway," he said.
"He's a top player. We don't have to let anyone leave and we definitely don't want to. [He is] going nowhere, nowhere at all."
But the lure of playing for the Italian champions in the Champions League, under the guidance of Mourinho, was too much for Muntari to resist.
Mourinho will now hope to sign Lampard when his Chelsea contract expires next summer.
l Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has completed the signing of French striker David Ngog from Paris St Germain.
The highly-rated 19-year-old has penned a four-year contract at Anfield for an undisclosed fee and he is Liverpool's fourth signing of the summer.
Ngog, the cousin of former Newcastle defender Jean-Alain Boumsong, scored once in 18 games for PSG last season.
Liverpool add Ngog to their previous major summer signings Andrea Dossena, Diego Cavalieri and Philipp Degen.
Benitez is still thought to be chasing Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane.
l Premier League newcomers Hull City are set to sign Tottenham defender Anthony Gardner on loan until the end of January, BBC Radio Humberside reports.
The 27-year-old is due to arrive at the KC Stadium today for a medical. The Tigers' pursuit of the centre-back seemed to have cooled before reported interest from league rivals Stoke. - BBC
muntari for inter
Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari was expected to complete a £12,7 million (about R190,4milion) move to Inter Milan yesterday.
Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari was expected to complete a £12,7 million (about R190,4milion) move to Inter Milan yesterday.
The 23-year-old Ghana international has agreed to a four-year contract with the Italian champions.
The signing suggests that Inter boss Jose Mourinho has given up hope of signing Frank Lampard this summer.
Mourinho had been desperate to land an attacking central midfielder - Lampard was his first choice, with Muntari regarded as the best alternative.
Portsmouth signed Muntari from Udinese for £7m in May last year and he was an ever-present in their first team last season, scoring seven goals.
Last week Pompey boss Harry Redknapp said he was very reluctant to allow the Ghana international to leave Fratton Park.
"We haven't spoken to anybody and I don't want to sell Sulley anyway," he said.
"He's a top player. We don't have to let anyone leave and we definitely don't want to. [He is] going nowhere, nowhere at all."
But the lure of playing for the Italian champions in the Champions League, under the guidance of Mourinho, was too much for Muntari to resist.
Mourinho will now hope to sign Lampard when his Chelsea contract expires next summer.
l Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has completed the signing of French striker David Ngog from Paris St Germain.
The highly-rated 19-year-old has penned a four-year contract at Anfield for an undisclosed fee and he is Liverpool's fourth signing of the summer.
Ngog, the cousin of former Newcastle defender Jean-Alain Boumsong, scored once in 18 games for PSG last season.
Liverpool add Ngog to their previous major summer signings Andrea Dossena, Diego Cavalieri and Philipp Degen.
Benitez is still thought to be chasing Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane.
l Premier League newcomers Hull City are set to sign Tottenham defender Anthony Gardner on loan until the end of January, BBC Radio Humberside reports.
The 27-year-old is due to arrive at the KC Stadium today for a medical. The Tigers' pursuit of the centre-back seemed to have cooled before reported interest from league rivals Stoke. - BBC