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Inter Milan are lining up a move for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres should Jose Mourinho lure Diego Milito or Samuel Eto’o to Real Madrid, according to reports in Italy.

The European champions lost boss Mourinho to the Bernabeu this week and are bracing themselves for bids for forwards Eto’o and Milito, who scored twice as Inter beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final.

But the Italian giants are set to move for unsettled Spain hotshot Torres, whose future at Anfield is uncertain following the club’s disappointing season, which resulted in a failure to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition.

Chelsea are also lining up a £70million bid for Torres, who is also wanted by mega-bucks Manchester City. But the Eastlands club are now unlikely to move for the star as their failure also to reach the Champions League makes it unlikely the striker would consider a move to Manchester.

Torres fuelled speculation surrounding his future last week when he refused to commit to Liverpool, insisting that he was focusing on a summer with Spain before deciding on his future. He said: ‘The more important thing for me now is the World Cup. My future is the World Cup, We’ll see later.’

Inter look set to join the race for his signature, but would be unlikely to bid should they convince Milito or Eto’o to stay at the San Siro. Mourinho is said to be lining up a double-deal for both Milito and full-back Maicon, but could fall back on Eto’o if the Argentina forward is unavailable.

Jose Mourinho is set to coach Real Madrid  in a deal between European soccer powers, leaving Inter Milan  less than a week after guiding the Italian club to the Champions League title.

The agreement was announced after a meeting in Milan between Madrid president Florentino Perez and Inter counterpart Massimo Moratti. Madrid will pay $19 million in two installments, the Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport said.

Real Madrid said Mourinho will be introduced Monday at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. He replaces Manuel Pelligrini, who was fired Wednesday.

Mourinho confirmed he wanted to join Madrid after Inter beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Spanish capital last Saturday to win the Champions League.

In two years with Inter, Mourinho led the club to two league titles, one Italian cup and its first European Cup since 1965. Before that, he led Chelsea to two Premier League titles. He also won the Champions League with FC Porto of Portugal in 2004.

Mourinho is a defensive-minded coach and questions have been raised over how he will blend the attacking talents of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema.

”We have to know what we have and apply it in the best possible way to create damage,” Mourinho told the Spanish daily AS. ”Madrid has Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka who are very good on one-on-ones. We have to find a style of play that allows them to do that. The principles of play depend on the players you have.”

Madrid has won nine European Cups but its last Champions League triumph came in 2002. Last summer, Madrid spent large sums on Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema but failed to progress past the first knockout round of the Champions League.

”I think Madrid have signed me because they know that they can demand aims in the short term, but that I am also capable of leaving a base for the future,” Mourinho said. Read more…

CESC FABREGAS has told Arsenal he wants to join Barcelona this summer.

The Gunners’ skipper broke the news to boss Arsene Wenger yesterday morning.

His decision left Wenger upset and shell-shocked.

Fabregas, 23, now hopes Arsenal can strike a swift £30million deal with the Catalan giants so he can focus on helping Spain win the World Cup.
A source said: “It’s a sad day for Arsenal but not unexpected.

“Cesc loves the club, yet after seven years of great service has realised it’s time to move on.

“Barcelona is the only club for which he would leave Arsenal. And don’t forget it is the team he has supported since he was a child.”

Barca are likely to begin talks tomorrow.

A friend of Fabregas confirmed: “Cesc has demanded of Arsenal that they accept the sale if Barcelona present a formal offer.”

Barcelona, who won their second La Liga on the trot last Sunday, also expect to complete the capture of Valencia striker David Villa by Friday - for £42.5m.

Villa, the second-top Spain goalscorer after Raul, has already passed a club medical.

CARLO ANCELOTTI has admitted for the first time he would like to see Fernando Torres at Chelsea.

SunSport revealed yesterday Blues striker Didier Drogba is keen to link up with Liverpool’s Spanish ace.

Blues owner Roman Abramovich is also willing to splash the £50million needed and Ancelotti said: “It’s not only Drogba - I would like to play with Torres. He’s a very good player.

“But this is not an issue for now. He is a Liverpool player and is a good striker but we have two fantastic strikers and this is not for this moment.”

Ancelotti is on the brink of winning a second trophy in his maiden season.

But the Italian has praised the work of his Pompey counterpart, Avram Grant, while admitting Chelsea’s victory at Fratton Park two months ago was the turning point of their season.

He added: “That game was an important game for us because it was a difficult moment.

“At the time they didn’t have much motivation but, on Saturday, they have a lot of motivation in the final.

“Avram is a very good coach. He was here in Chelsea for one year and did a very good job.

“And also this year, Portsmouth have had a difficult year but he did well to take them to the final and get his players to go out with strong, strong motivation.”

Jose Mourinho has fuelled speculation he will move to Real Madrid this summer
by admitting he will coach the Spanish giants ’sooner or later’.

Former Chelsea boss Mourinho is currently preparing his Inter Milan side for this weekend’s Serie A climax where they go into the final round of fixtures two points clear of Roma.

Then comes the Champions League final, in Madrid, against Bayern Munich on May 22.

Recent reports have suggested the Bayern clash will be Mourinho’s last on the Inter bench before he switches to Madrid and he was doing little to quell the rumours in an interview with Panorama magazine published on Friday.

He said: ‘What they write about me having one foot in Madrid and one in Milan is false.

‘(But) Sooner or later I will coach Real Madrid. I coached a big team in England, I am coaching a big team in Italy, and then I will coach a big team in Spain.’

Mourinho has already led Inter to the Coppa Italia this season and is closing in on a treble. Read more…

Fernando Torres was anxiously awaiting news of Rafa Benitez’s meeting with
Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton last night after deciding he wants his uncertain Anfield future resolved in the next week.

Liverpool’s record £21million signing is in demand after it became clear Anfield bosses may have to cash in on him, with Chelsea, Manchester City and Barcelona all waiting for any encouragement to open a bidding war that could send the fee soaring to £70m.

While Benitez presented his argument to Broughton over why any proceeds should go towards strengthening his squad, rather than servicing the club’s debt, Torres was agonising over his next move.

Alarmed at the way Liverpool’s campaign has petered out and left them lagging behind their main rivals, he wants answers on whether Benitez is staying and evidence of a strategy to guard against any repeat of this season’s failings.

Eager to avoid any unwanted distractions ahead of next month’s World Cup, he has made it clear he needs to know Liverpool’s intentions before he leaves Merseyside next week, in readiness for linking up with the Spain squad. He may be prepared to tolerate one more season without Champions League football but is ready to move on, should Liverpool deem a £70m offer too good to turn down. Read more…

The Italian media had claimed there was already a verbal agreement between the Spaniard and his would-be new employers and a meeting had taken place today with Benitez’s lawyers to finalise details of the contract.

There were even reports Benitez would make Liverpool trio Dirk Kuyt, Martin Skrtel and, somewhat oddly considering their fractious relationship, Ryan Babel his first signings.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez last night released a statement claiming he has no agreement with Juventus and will not be meeting the Italian club or their representatives, or any other club.

However, similar sources had suggested on Thursday a Juve delegation was in Liverpool only for that to prove to be false.

When asked about the manager’s future Kuyt said he did not believe there would be any change at the top.

‘As far as I know there is no doubt,’ said the Holland international.

‘I’ve not heard there is any trouble or indication the manager could leave so if that is not happening we just want to play football.’

Benitez did not help all the conjecture about his future on Friday when he said he was proud to be linked with one of Europe’s top clubs.

But he did also say he had a job to do an Anfield and was committed to that. Co-owner Tom Hicks’ surprise visit to watch yesterday’s 2-0 victory over Bolton also posed a few questions as to why he had attended a relatively low-key fixture when there was a Merseyside derby next weekend.

He was not, however, bringing a last-minute transfer window war chest for the Spaniard to spend to help Liverpool secure the Champions League football which is so vital to their future. Read more…

Benitez said he was “proud” to be linked as they are a “top side in Europe” but added: “I’m happy here and want to do a job as best I can.”

The Spaniard has come under-fire for a spluttering season and doubts over his future intensified on Friday with Ciro Ferrara’s sacking at the Serie A club.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has rejected talk of an imminent move to become the new Juventus coach.

Alberto Zaccheroni has been handed the role until the end of the season.

The Reds manager signed a new deal in March 2009 to keep him at the Merseyside club until 2014, but an early exit in the Champions League and FA Cup, along with poor Premier League form, has not helped to quash reports of a premature departure.

Benitez’s agent Manuel Garcia Quilon revealed on 26 January there was “no truth” in the media speculation linking his client to a move to the Turin club.

And although some reports in Italy suggested a Juventus delegation had flown to Merseyside this week attempting to secure a new long-term manager, Benitez was not prepared to discuss his future.

“I am not here to talk about speculation because people talk too much,” said the 50-year-old.

“I am focused on preparing my team for the game against Bolton (on Saturday). I know they (Juventus) were interested, that is part of the game now in football, but I am not ready to talk too much because I don’t want to lose my focus.” Read more…

Harry Redknapp was last night negotiating a deal to take Ruud van Nistelrooy on a loan deal to Tottenham.

The Spurs boss has moved into pole position in the race to snatch the 33-year-old striker who is no longer wanted at Real Madrid.

He will be struggling to complete the move in time for the 64-cap Holland forward - still an Old Trafford legend after scoring 95 goals in 150 games when he was at Manchester United - to play in Wednesday night’s huge Premier League match at Liverpool.

But Redknapp believes that adding the Dutchman’s experience and firepower will be a turning point in the battle to snatch fourth place - and a spot in next season’s Champions League - away from the Anfield club.

Redknapp was in a swanky London restaurant on Monday night with Van Nistelrooy’s agent, Rodger Linse, setting out his visions of the future at White Hart Lane.

Linse, who earlier in the day rejected approaches from Turkish giants Galatasaray, is still exploring other options for his client. Read more…