Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti confirmed yesterday that he had sold Christian Vieri to Inter Milan, but said the striker's fee was even bigger than thought, at nearly £37 million. Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti announced the agreement in Rome on Tuesday, indicating it was in the region of around 80 billion lira, including the handing over of Inter's Argentinian midfielder Diego Simeone.
But Cragnotti, whose club's shares are quoted on the exchange, spelled out the true figures as he arrived for a Football League meeting in Milan yesterday. He indicated that although the price tag on Vieri himself was more than originally thought, the overall cost of the operation to Inter was less. "We have sold Vieri to Inter for 90 billion lira (£36.7 million)," he said. "And we have bought Simeone for 21 billion (£8.5 million)." Vieri will reportedly earn around £12.9 million over the course of a four-year contract with Inter.
Though the agreement was reached on Tuesday with a shake of the hand between Moratti and Cragnotti at a Rome hotel, the paperwork was not signed by the two men until yesterday morning. Vieri (25) will play alongside Brazilian star Ronaldo next season in a new-look Inter Milan being put together by new coach Marcello Lippi.
Kenny Dalglish is set to be unveiled as Celtic's first technical director today. It is believed that the 48-yearold former Parkhead favourite has agreed terms with the Glasgow side. Dalglish, who has been out of the game since being unceremoniously dumped by Newcastle last August, has been the number one target of chief executive Allan MacDonald since he took over the day-to-day running of the club from owner Fergus McCann earlier this year.
Along with Dalglish, it appears that John Barnes, another former Anfield favourite, will arrive next week as head coach as Dalglish's arrival is almost certain to signal the departure of current team boss Jozef Venglos.
The quietly-spoken Slovakian has spent just one year at the club but failed to win over the fans or the players. German international Markus Babbel, linked with a transfer to Liverpool, is keen on a move to Anfield.
The 26-year-old Bayern Munich defender has been offered a sixyear extension to his contract with the Champions Cup finalists. "I have an offer and Bayern know that I'd like to go," said Babbel. "I simply would like a change.
"The coach doesn't want to let me go. So it looks like I am staying another year in Bayern."
