Suazo in limbo as Milan and Inter bicker

Cagliari striker David Suazo was involved in a tug-of-war between Milan and city rivals Inter yesterday with both sides claiming he was now their player.

The 27-year-old had looked set for Serie A champions Inter after Cagliari president Massimo Cellino said last week that a deal had been done.

However, European champions Milan said yesterday they had performed a night raid and bagged Suazo for themselves.

"The Honduran striker will wear the shirt of Milan next season," a statement said on Milan's website.

"The transfer from Cagliari to the Rossoneri went ahead after negotiations during the night."

Inter hit back saying that although Cagliari had agreed a new deal with Milan, the player himself had signed for Inter.

"With us there was complete agreement. This has been an amazing change of will. Anyway the player has signed for us so we will see," Inter president Massimo Moratti told his club's website.

Suazo scored 14 league goals last season having developed into one of the most dangerous strikers in Italy.

In 2005-06, he scored 22 Serie A goals for Cagliari, breaking the club record of 21 league goals in a season that former Italy international Gigi Riva set in 1970.

At the Italian Football Oscars in January this year, he shared the award for the best foreign player in Serie A with Milan's Kaka.

The tussle is sure to fuel a simmering feud between the two Milan clubs, whose rivalry was intensified by Inter's league title and Milan's Champions League triumph last season.

An anti-Inter banner unfurled on Milan's open-top bus during their Champions League celebrations also added spice.

Milan, who struggled for goals early on last season and brought in Ronaldo from Real Madrid in January, had said their main transfer target was Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o.

"It is very probable that Eto'o will now not come," Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said.

"There has been no intention to spite Inter. Cellino said that negotiations with Inter were over therefore we started and concluded new talks."

Suazo's possible arrival makes it less likely that Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko will be returning to Milan, either.

Inter already have a number of attacking options but the future of Brazil's Adriano is uncertain.