Inter Milan claim to have already signed Frank Lampard
Published 00:00 20/05/08 By Martin Lipton, Chief Football Writer In Moscow
Frank Lampard flew in to Moscow last night with Inter Milan claiming he will leave Chelsea for the San Siro after the Champions League Final.
Inter were boasting they had captured the England midfielder in a cut-price £7million deal, just 48 hours ahead of Chelsea's D-Day against Manchester United. The London club refused to respond to the claims - but senior sources at the newly-crowned Italian champions insisted the move was agreed. They are sure Lampard will be unveiled as an Inter star within days of the Moscow showdown.
Inter say the deal was confirmed after a private meeting between president Massimo Moratti and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich (left) when they shook hands on the transfer. The San Siro giants revealed that the England midfielder will move on a four-year deal worth £30m in basic salary.
That equates to the £150,000 per week Lampard, 29, wanted from Chelsea - a figure the Stamford Bridge hierarchy refused to meet after deciding the midfielder no longer justified such a sum.
But the Inter deal is far from cut and dried, according to Lampard's agent Steve Kutner, who said: "Frank is concentrating on the Champions League Final and then he's going on holiday.
"When he comes back, Frank and I will talk, we will sit down and discuss football and I will then discuss things with Peter Kenyon."
