Inter Milan reach verbal agreement with RC Lens for Andy Diouf

Inter Milan and Lens have reached an agreement for the permanent transfer of Andy Diouf for a fixed fee of €20million, with potential add-ons bringing the total package to €25m, according to Sky Sport.

Lens had begun clearing the way for an exit this summer when they signed Mamadou Sangaré from Rapid Wien in an €8m transfer.

Diouf is set to leave the north of France, having arrived with a lot of promise but having struggled to live up to expectations.

The Frenchman has been a target for several clubs this summer, with Crystal Palace and Napoli having been linked.

The Azzurri looked to be the most advanced, but their €20m bid was rejected as it did not meet Lens’ valuation for the Frenchman.

The Nerazzurri had interest in Manu Koné; Roma rejected their offer with the intention of keeping him, which paved the way for the signing of Diouf.

The 22-year-old played 34 games last season for the Blood and Gold, finding the back of the net once and assisting twice.

His exceptional acceleration and ball-carrying ability, as evidenced by his leading ranks in these categories among midfielders in Europe’s top leagues, will be a great addition for Cristian Chivu’s side.

After narrowly missing out on the Scudetto to Napoli on the final day with a point last season, the Nerazzurri have made four signings to improve their squad, with Diouf set to become the fifth.

Inter Milan host Torino at San Siro for their Serie A curtain raiser on Monday.