Recoba ban to see Inter sign Chiesa

Internazionale are to sign striker Enrico Chiesa next week from Fiorentina in a £21 million transfer.

Fiorentina want the cash to help new coach Roberto Mancini rebuild for next season and and may also have to sell off play maker Rui Costa.

The Florence club have massive debts and are awaiting a takeover attempt and are looking at the sale of its other major asset in the outfield - Italian international Chiesa.

But Cheisa's arrival in Milan will see Inter off load their record signing Christian Vieri back to Juventus.

Chiesa earned his reputation as a top striker in Serie A with an exceptional 1995-96 season with Sampdoria.

The Genoa club signed him from Cremonese and he hit 22 goals in his first season for Samp.

The 29 year old hit a hat-trick on his debut for the lighthouse city club and scored on his debut for Italy in 1996 on which he scored in a friendly with Belgium.

Samp sold off Chiesa in 1998 to Parma AC where he won the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup in his second season but then chose to leave the Parma club and join Fiorentina where he worked with current Italian team coach Giovanni Trapattoni. Trapattoni recalled him for the national squad last year and he remains one of the top home grown strikers in the Italian first division.

Inter have seen their highest earner Alvaro Recoba banned until June 2002 in the fake passport scandal meaning they are set to buy a striker with Chiesa to bve sold off by Fiorentina.