Michael Essien to follow Jose Mourinho from Chelsea to Inter Milan, claims Muntari

Sulley Muntari has claimed Michael Essien will join him and Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan.

The ex-Portsmouth midfielder moved to Serie A in the summer after winning the FA Cup.

And he reckons his fellow Ghanaian, who is his closest friend, will also not be able to resist working with his former Chelsea boss.

"Essien for me is a brother," said Muntari. "When I had the chance to go to Inter, he telephoned me and said: 'Go without fear.

Mourinho is there, with him you will become a great player'.

"At Chelsea Michael got on great with the coach. Eventually he will be in Milan. He will come here."

Essien, who agreed a new five-year contract in July, is out until the New Year after suffering cruciate ligament damage playing for his country in September.

Chelsea defender Alex is a target for Greek giants Panathinaikos, who want to take him on loan in January.

Panathinaikos are managed by former Stamford Bridge assistant boss Henk Ten Cate and the Dutchman has made contact to try and instigate a transfer.

Alex, 26, has struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge since signing from PSV Eindhoven in 2004 and knows once Ricardo Carvalho is fit he will have little chance of starting matches.

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari needs to allow players to leave before he can bring in new signings but is reluctant to lose defensive cover.

Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis has warned Ezequiel Lavezzi's agent to stop his contract demands amid reports linking him with Chelsea.

The Argentinian forward, 23, expects his salary to be increased after proving pivotal for Napoli in Serie A this season.

Lavezzi's agent Eduardo Rossetto insists the player's priority is to remain in Naples but said: "He has done more than what was expected of him. Now he only demands what he is worth."

But De Laurentiis said: "Lavezzi will remain with us until 2013 and then we will see."

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