Forlan deal with Inter could end Tevez's hopes

Uruguayan's move could mean no place for the Manchester City striker who was seeking the Italian club at the transfer window.

Forlan attends a news conference in Madrid ahead of his medical for Inter Milan.
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Diego Forlan is joining Inter Milan after Atletico Madrid agreed to sell the Uruguay striker to the Serie A club, virtually ending any chance Carlos Tevez has of leaving Manchester City before the transfer window shuts.

Forlan will fill the vacant striker spot left by Samuel Eto'o's departure for Anzhi Makhachkala, the Russian club.

The restless Tevez had been linked with a move to Inter, after City failed to reach an agreement with the Brazilian side Corinthians earlier in the summer, but the Italian giants have decided to fortify their strikeforce with the more affordable Forlan.

"It's not every day you get the chance to play for Inter Milan at 32," he said.

Forlan, who spent four seasons at Atletico, and helped them to European Super Cup and Europa League triumphs, had two years remaining on his Atletico deal, with reports suggesting he has agreed to a two-year contract with the Italian club.

"Some moments weren't great, but the majority of years here have been spectacular," said Forlan, who spent the latter half of his last season out of the starting line-up due to problems with the former coach, Quique Sanchez Flores.

"But I'm happy with the decision I've taken because life goes on, players come and go and you have to accept that. I achieved the objectives we had set out. It was an enormous pleasure to win the titles we did here."

Forlan was strongly linked with a loan move to Al Wasl earlier this summer.

The Dubai club had just signed Diego Maradona as their coach and looked to be following up the coup by signing the best player at last year's World Cup in South Africa, after Uruguay reached the semi-finals. But in late May, Marwan bin Bayat, the Wasl chairman, was told Atletico would not agree to the loan.

Like Atletico, City would only be willing to sell Tevez, and he now appears to be remaining at the Etihad Stadium, at least until January when the window re-opens.

Shaun Wright-Phillips may also be at City until January. Despite being the subject of offers from four Premier League clubs the winger is not willing to comprimise on his wage demands, and has resolved to remaining at City, where he has spent two years of his career, until January and then seek a free transfer.

Two players who are leaving City, on one year loan deals, are Vladimir Weiss and Roque Santa-Cruz, to Espanyol and Real Betis respectively.

Weiss, who has had loan spells at Bolton Wanderers and Glasgow Rangers during the past two years, travelled to Barcelona yesterday to put the finishing touches on the switch.

Santa Cruz, 30, joined City from Blackburn in 2009, but has struggled to tie down a first-team berth, and returned to Rovers on loan for the second half of last season.

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