Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari is expected to complete a £12.7m move to Inter Milan on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Ghana international has agreed a four-year contract with the Italian champions.

The signing suggests that Inter boss Jose Mourinho has given up hope of signing Frank Lampard this summer.

Mourinho had been desperate to land an attacking central midfielder - Lampard was his first choice, with Muntari regarded as the best alternative.

Portsmouth signed Muntari from Udinese for £7m in May 2007 and he was an ever-present in their first team last season, scoring seven goals.

Last week Pompey boss Harry Redknapp said he was very reluctant to allow the Ghana international to leave Fratton Park.

"We haven't spoken to anybody and I don't want to sell Sulley anyway," he said.

"He's a top player. We don't have to let anyone leave and we definitely don't want to. (He is) going nowhere, nowhere at all."

But the lure of playing for the Italian champions in the Champions League, under the guidance of Mourinho, was too much for Muntari to resist.

Mourinho will now hope to sign Lampard when his Chelsea contract expires next summer.


Source: BBC