Abby Brammell

By Matt Lawton Chief Football Correspondent

Which way Milan? Capello is determined to keep distractions away from his training camp


Inter Milan have publicly confirmed their interest in trying to lure Fabio Capello away from the England team.

Massimo Moratti, the Inter owner who has now released manager Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid, has given an interview declaring a desire to sign up not only Capello but Steven Gerrard and Cesc Fabregas too.

Those closest to Capello insist he remains committed to honouring a contract that takes him to the 2012 European Championship with England.

Only last week, the England manager instructed his lawyers to remove a get-out clause in his contract that would have given him and his employers the option of breaking it after this summer's World Cup.

But that has not stopped Moratti from telling a prominent Italian newspaper in a web chat that the England boss is on his list of potential targets.

'I haven't taken a decision,' said Moratti, after losing Mourinho, the coach who guided his side to a sensational European and domestic treble this season


Champions of Europe: Diego Milito celebrates scoring for Inter against Bayern in the Champions League final earlier this month


'But Capello is one of the candidates and he certainly has a great pedigree.' Moratti said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola would also be an excellent candidate, but added that he recognised how difficult it would be to lure him away from his home country champions.

Others Moratti mentioned were ex-Brazil and Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, Zenit St Petersburg and former Roma boss Luciano Spalletti, former AC Milan manager Leonardo and ex-Inter player Roberto Baggio. Fulham and former Inter manager Roy Hodgson has been linked with the job, as has Liverpool's Rafa Benitez.

On Friday Moratti accepted he had lost Mourinho, who has agreed the terms of a new £8million a year deal at Real.


Committed: Capello is contracted with England until 2012


Mourinho is currently on holiday in Sardinia with his wife and two children, but Real have confirmed he will be unveiled at the Santiago Bernabeu on Monday, just over a week after guiding Inter to Champions League glory there. He will replace Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, who was sacked on Wednesday night.

Moratti had hoped to enforce a get-out clause in Mourinho's contract worth £13.5m if the manager left before 2012. But sources said the men had a 'gentleman's agreement' that the clause would be scrapped if Inter won the Champions League.


Swift turnaround: Manuel Pellegrini (left) was sacked to pave the way for Jose Mourinho to take charge at the Bernabeu


So on Friday a deal was reached at a meeting in Milan between Moratti and big-spending Real chief Florentino Perez in which the penalty was slashed in half to around £6.8m.

A statement on the Inter website referred to a 'strong link between the two prestigious clubs.'

Moratti is aware of more obstacles to his wishes ahead, however. He admitted in the online interview that it will be almost impossible to buy Fabregas or Gerrard.


source :dailymail