Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 7y

Borja Valero set for Inter Milan move as Ever Banega nears exit

Borja Valero is expected to replace Ever Banega at Inter Milan summer with negotiations at an advanced stage for both players to move.

Banega arrived in Milan on a free transfer from Sevilla last summer but was unable to impress in a turbulent season for the Nerazzurri with three coaches -- Roberto Mancini, Frank De Boer and Stefano Pioli -- sacked. He is not expected to stay and see if things go better under Luciano Spalletti, though, with his agent confirming a return to Spain is imminent.

"It is 99 percent certain that Ever will go to Spain for a fee much inferior to what has been circulating in the media these days," Marcelo Simonian told TuttoMercatoWeb. "An agreement has already been reached."

According to speculation in Italy and Spain, Banega is set to return to Sevilla for a fee in the region of €10 million, which would nevertheless be a sizeable profit on a player who made the move in the opposite direction for free last year.

Borja Valero is likely to replace him at Inter with Spalletti succeeding in signing a player he wanted a year ago, when he was still in charge of Roma.

His club, Fiorentina, blocked the move of one of their fans' favourites then, but after missing out on qualifying for Europe next season they are reportedly now more open to a sale, even if the rumours have not been welcomed by Fiorentina fans.

A banner inviting the club's general manager Pantaleo Corvino to leave, in not so polite terms, was hung on a wall outside Fiorentina's Stadio Artemio Franchi on Tuesday night, Il Corriere dello Sport reported.

With rumours abound that Fiorentina's arch-rivals Juventus are preparing a bid for winger Federico Bernardeschi, and with striker Nikola Kalinic also linked with a move to Inter, it promises to be a difficult summer for Corvino.

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