Cortinthians confirm sale of Vampeta to Inter

Brazilian midfielder Marcio Vampeta will be playing for Internazionale after Corinthians agreed to the £12 million offer made by the Italian giants last month.

Vampeta is a regular in the Brazil national team and was a top target for coach Marcello Lippi since troublesome Dutch star Clarence Seedorf may be leaving the club soon writes Rafael Salido.

Since his return to Brazil in 1998 from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven after a £3 million deal, Vampeta has become one of Corinthians' most important players with Dida and Edilson who have already left the club this summer.

Inter have been in talks for a month with the Brazilian club and now the Sao Paolo club's director of sport, Carlos Nujud, has confirmed the completion of the deal. Inter face Helsingborg in Milan tomorrow night in a Champions League qualifier. They trail the Swedish club by 1-0 after the first leg and wanted to complete the Vampeta deal before the end of the month to register the player as eligible for European competition. Inter hope to present Vampeta at a press conference next week before he joins Brazil for a 2002 World Cup qualifier against Bolivia.

Vampeta helped to establish Corinthians as a powerful Paulista league force by protecting the defence from a central midfield position and won the first World Club championship in January with the club.