Tottenham are set to sign Italy's World Cup midfielder Nicola Berti on a free transfer. The 30year-old former Italian international asked club president Massimo Moratti over the weekend if he could leave the club and the Inter chief agreed to the move yesterday. Berti's contract, which ran until June and was worth £360,000 net, has been taken over by Spurs.
Berti has spent virtually the whole of this season on the substitutes' bench under new coach Gigi Simoni.
Berti will team up again with Jurgen Klinsmann - his friend and former team-mate during a three-year spell with Inter (1989-92).
Spurs boss Christian Gross also wrapped up Andy Hinchcliffe's £3 million move from Everton yesterday and the club has put a move for Valencia's Algerian star Moussa Saib on ice until March because Saib would not be available to play for Spurs all next month when he is committed to international duty in the African Nations Cup.
Meanwhile, Everton are also resigned to losing their captain Gary Speed after he yesterday refused the offer of a vastly improved new contract.
The Welsh international midfielder was given the opportunity to sign a deal which would have effectively kept him at Goodison Park for the remainder of his playing career.
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