Inter step up Gilardino interest

Why can't Chelsea sign a striker?

Inter Milan have joined the race to sign Italian international striker Alberto Gilardino from Parma.

Owner Massimo Moratti is interested in the 22-year-old and revealed Inter and Parma had been "talking for a while".

"We don't need to reinforce our attack but we're talking about a very talented player that Inter has a right to bid for," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Chelsea are rumoured to be chasing the highly-rated forward but Gilardino has stated he would like to stay in Italy.

Inter's city rivals AC Milan have previously stated an interest but baulked at the initial 35m euro (£24m) asking price.

Gilardino, whose contract with Parma runs until 2008, was the most prolific Italian striker in Serie A during the last two seasons, scoring 46 goals in 72 games.

Striker Vieri pondering next move

Inter are already well-equipped in attack, even following the departure of Christian Vieri, whose contract was recently dissolved by mutual consent.

The club's first-choice strike partnership of Brazil's Adriano - another former Parma player - and 20-year-old Nigerian international Obafemi Martins is among the most dangerous in Serie A.

Moratti, however, has a reputation as Italian football's big spender and may find it impossible to resist pursuing the player who, for many Italian fans, has assumed Vieri's mantle of the best Italian centre-forward.