Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 785 Fri. August 11, 2006  
   
Sports


Serie A
Ibrahimovic becomes a Nerazzurri


Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has signed a four-year deal with Inter Milan after a 24.8 million euro (31.9 million dollar) agreement was reached by the club with Italian rivals Juventus on Thursday.

The 24-year-old, who joined the club two years ago, has signed a deal which will take him up until June 30, 2010.

"Juventus have reached agreement with Inter Milan for the signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic for 24.8 million euros payable over three years," the buying club said in a statement.

Following the sale, Juventus coach Didier Deschamps, the former France World Cup winning captain, said the Swede's departure would be his side's last.

However, it is not the first time the disgraced deposed champions have made such a claim.

Juventus had claimed after the sale of France captain Patrick Vieira to Inter Milan last week that no more players would be allowed to leave.

But Ibrahimovic demanded out in the wake of Juve's demotion to Serie B - along with a 17-point penalty for the coming season - for their part in Italy's match-fixing scandal.

Juventus were also stripped of the league titles they won last season (2005/06) and the season before and barred from the Champions League.

France defender Liliam Thuram and Italy full-back Gianluca Zambrotta were the first to jump ship, to Barcelona, quickly followed by new Real Madrid pair Emerson, the Brazil midfielder, and Italy's World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro.

On Wednesday, Mauro Camoranesi's agent also claimed his player wants to leave and Deschamps will have a fight on his hands to keep hold of other sought-after star names such as Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and France forward David Trezeguet.

"It's not because one leaves that everyone else has to go too," said Deschamps.

"Buffon has already chosen, he will stay at Juventus even if an interesting offer comes in.

"And concerning Trezeguet, I know him well. We will find a solution that satisfies him."

Ibrahimovic becomes Inter Milan's fourth signing for the new season after Vieira, Fabio Grosso (Palermo) and Hernan Crespo (Chelsea).

Ibrahimovic joined Juventus from Dutch side Ajax in 2004, scoring 26 goals in the past two years.

Picture
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC ... confirms his switch to Inter Milan.