Panucci set to join Monaco

Monaco are poised to sign Internazionale defender Christian Panucci – who is currently on loan to Chelsea – with the Milan giants taking an option to buy France international Philippe Christanval at the end of the season. Inter, meanwhile, have confirmed that they are not interested in Liverpool striker Michael Owen.

A source at Monaco has said that Panucci will sign a contract with the French champions next week for a fee of £5 million, with Christanval potentially moving in the other direction for £8 million in the summer.

Panucci made it clear last month that he was eager to leave Chelsea, with first-team chances limited since Claudio Ranieri replaced Gianluca Vialli as coach. "I can't wait to leave Chelsea. I want to go back to Italy," he said.

The former AC Milan and Real Madrid defender left Inter because of a row with then-coach Marcello Lippi. Although Lippi was replaced as Inter coach by Marco Tardelli after just one game of the Serie A season, Inter have shown no interest in recalling Panucci from Chelsea, despite the player making it clear that he would welcome a return.

Christanval, meanwhile, is seen in France as being the natural successor to Laurent Blanc, and it seems he may well now replace him at club as well as international level.

Although his mother wanted her boy to practise judo, Christanval preferred football and he was taken on by Monaco when he was 16, playing alongside Thierry Henry as a junior. In the autumn of 1997, coach Jean Tigana selected him for the first team and he has not looked back since.

Now 21, Christanval has made just one appearance for his country, coming on for Frank Le Bouef an hour into France’s friendly draw with South Africa in Johannesburg in October. He was, though, also included in a pre-Euro 2000 training camp in Tignes.

Quite apart from the lure of joining one of Europe’s most glamorous clubs, the move is likely to appeal to Christanval, who has no guarantee of European football with Monaco next season, with the club lying a disappointing fourth from bottom of Le Championnat.

With Chile striker Ivan Zamorano and Brazil midfielder Vampeta both leaving Inter in January, the club are expected to attempt to bolster their squad further.

"Other transfers might be possible once the market reopens," Inter said. "However, those operations will not include any possible deal for Liverpool's England player Michael Owen, who does not enter into the club's plans," a club official said on Wednesday.

Owen has been linked to Inter in the English press but Liverpool denied last week that they had been approached by the Milan club.