Juve's Vieira to sign for Inter

Juventus midfielder Patrick Vieira is to sign for Inter, part of an exodus of players from the Turin club following Italy's match-fixing scandal.

Inter's owner Massimo Moratti told reporters that yesterday was Vieira's last day with Juventus and he would sign a four-year contract with Inter today.

"He should sign the contract on Wednesday (today)," an Inter spokesman quoted Moratti as saying, adding that Vieira was in Milan for a medical check-up.

Former Arsenal captain Vieira would be the latest player to leave Juventus after the club was relegated to Serie B for conspiring with referees and linesmen to rig games during the 2004-05 season.

The departures of Italy's World Cup captain Fabio Cannavaro, Brazilian midfielder Emerson, and defenders Gianluca Zambrotta and Lilian Thuram have raised fears that Juventus could struggle to win immediate promotion back to Serie A.

Juventus coach Didier Deschamps said last week that no more of his players would be leaving the club.

However, the Gazzetta dello Sport said yesterday that Milan were trying to sign both Juve's goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Inter were awarded the 2005-06 Italian league title last week after a sports tribunal revoked Juve's title win due to the match-fixing scandal.

Juventus lodge second appeal

Juventus lodged a second appeal yesterday against their relegation to Italy's Serie B for match-fixing.

Last week an appeals tribunal confirmed Juve should be thrown out of Serie A but reduced their points penalty at the start of next season to minus 17 from minus 30.

Juventus immediately announced they would appeal again to Italy's Olympic Committee (CONI). The appeal lodged yesterday is the last one the club can make to a sporting authority.

However Juventus, who were also stripped of the Serie A titles they won in the last two seasons, have said they are prepared to take their case higher by appealing to an administrative court.