Suazo in limbo as AC Milan and Inter bicker

MILAN, June 19 (Reuters) Cagliari striker David Suazo was involved in a tug-of-war between AC Milan and city rivals Inter today 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 AC Milan said today 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 Web site (www.acmilan.com).

''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 Web site (www.inter.it).

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

In the 2005-06 season 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 best foreign player in Serie A with AC Milan's Brazilian playmaker 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 AC Milan's Champions League triumph last season.

An anti-Inter banner unfurled on AC 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 not come,'' Milan vice president Adriano Galliani told the Web site.

''There has been no intention to spite Inter. We followed Suazo even last year. 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.

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

REUTERS BJR RAI2022