Massimo Moratti says the deal which will see Rafa Benitez take
over at Inter Milan is "more or less done" and expects confirmation
on Tuesday.
The Spaniard, who left his post at Liverpool by mutual consent
last Thursday, has been strongly linked with the post after Jose
Mourinho's departure for Real Madrid.
And Inter president Moratti believes the last few details will
be sorted out in the next 24 hours.
When asked if Benitez could be proclaimed as the next Inter boss
on Tuesday, the Nerazzurri chief replied: "Yes, I really think
so."
He added: "The deal is more or less done.
"It's not sealed yet because you don't sign something before
hearing what you're signing, but we decisively targeted Benitez
from the beginning and he is the person we consider most useful for
the continuity of Inter at the same level."
Benitez may wish to take his Anfield assistant Mauricio
Pellegrino, goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero and fitness coach Paco de
Miguel with him to the San Siro, with Italian Amedeo Carboni - who
played under Benitez as a midfielder at Valencia - also tourted as
a possible backroom addition.
Reports in Italy suggest Benitez will sign a three-year deal
worth five million euros per season.
However, Moratti insists that media speculation is wide of the
mark.
"Who wrote that is off the track," he continued. "For the
duration and the amount.
"We talked about everything but the transfer market. And the
numbers of assistants that I read in the papers are also
fortunately wrong.
"I read frightening numbers but in reality they will be numbers
which belong to the norm of other coaches we have contracted in the
past."
Benitez earned a place in Anfield folklore by guiding Liverpool
to 2005 Champions League glory in his first season.
He followed that with FA Cup success in 2006 and another
Champions League final appearance 12 months later. After finishing
runners-up in the Barclays Premier League in 2009, many expected a
serious title tilt this year but it failed to materialise.
Early elimination from the Champions League was followed by a
failure to finish in the top four and to re-qualify for Europe's
elite event.
The 50-year-old had four years remaining on his contract but
paid the price for a seventh-placed finish.
He had previously been linked with both Real Madrid and
Juventus, who last month appointed former Sampdoria boss Luigi del
Neri as Alberto Zaccheroni's successor.
