Internazionale set for Ricardo Carvalho and Deco
bids
.
• Inter president says negotiations with Chelsea are under
way
• Chances of reunion with Jose Mourinho in Milan are likely
.
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The Internazionale president, Massimo Moratti, has
confirmed the club is in negotiations with Chelsea over Deco and
Ricardo Carvalho.
The Portugal internationals both played for Jose Mourinho at
Porto in the Champions League-winning side of 2004 and Carvalho was
an important part of Mourinho’s Chelsea side that won successive
Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006. After a difficult season at
Stamford Bridge, they have indicated that they would welcome the
chance for a reunion at Inter.
“[Jose] Mourinho has asked us for Deco and Carvalho and we are
working towards making him happy,” Moratti told Gazzetta dello
Sport. “Our wish is to sign both players and I have seen that the
players’ intention is to join us. We still haven’t reached an
agreement with Chelsea but I think we will do in a short time.
“We are interested in Carvalho primarily for the Champions
League. He has the right experience, he is calm under pressure and
brings experience in the defensive line. Our coach has guaranteed
quality and I have every intention to make him happy. Deco will
have two tasks: to do well immediately and to help [Brazilian
player Philippe] Coutinho mature as a player. Coutinho will arrive
next season [from Vasco de Gama] and plays in the same role as
Deco.”
Moratti, meanwhile, has also placed a €90m price tag on the
Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has been linked with a move
away from the San Siro, with Barcelona, Chelsea and Real Madrid
among the clubs reportedly keen.
“If it is true that Bayern Munich have placed a €70m tag on
[Franck Ribéry], then I will need to ask a minimum of €90m [for
Ibrahimovic],” added Moratti, who admitted holding meetings last
week with his Barcelona counterpart Joan Laporta, although no
agreement was reached between both parties. “If we are talking
about Barcelona I think Laporta is far away from the
mega-investment policy that Real Madrid have made so far,” he said.
“I reiterate that I would gladly keep Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic is
at Inter and Ibrahimovic is the best, in my opinion.”