Genoa have completed the signing of Argentinian star Hernan Crespo from Inter Milan.
Argentinian star signs from Inter, with Quaresma set to follow
Genoa have completed the signing of Argentinian star Hernan Crespo from Inter Milan.
Club president Enrico Preziosi met with the 33-year-old's agent, Fernando Hidalgo, on Friday to finalise the negotiations.
And later that day Preziosi confirmed that Genoa had signed the former Lazio, Parma and Chelsea striker on a two-year deal.
"It's an important signing, we're very happy," he said. "Crespo is a great player, a serious lad who we've been following for a long time."
Crespo has been recognised as one of the top strikers in Europe over the last decade but had become a bit-part player for Inter this season after falling behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mario Balotelli and Adriano in the pecking order.
Confidence
Hidalgo claimed Fiorentina were also interested in Crespo but were only willing to offer a one-year deal.
"We have agreed a two-year contract (with Genoa) and that's an important demonstration of confidence in Hernan," said Crespo's agent.
Genoa are also on the verge of signing Inter's Portugal winger Ricardo Quaresma and Preziosi hopes to tie up that deal next week.
"The Quaresma question is very simple, there is an agreement between the two clubs, all we need is the player's signature," he told
Radio Kiss Kiss.
"I don't believe there will be any big problems but we'll meet next week to resolve everything."
Quaresma joined Inter at the beginning of the season but has failed to live up to expectations since his 19million Euro (£16.6m) move from Porto and was loaned out to Chelsea in January.
Rebuilding
Genoa have already been in transfer talks with Inter, with star players Diego Milito and Thiago Motta agreeing deals to move to the San Siro this summer.
The pair led Genoa to the brink of Champions League qualification this season and although the club just missed out on a top-four finish in Serie A, they will return to Europe after a 17-year absence and just four years after winning promotion from the third division.
Besides Crespo and Quaresma, Genoa are also looking to compensate for the loss of Milito and Motta by bringing in Sergio Floccari, who scored 12 goals for Atalanta this season.
"There's just the formality of the exchange of contract with Atalanta but there's no problems because the lad has already signed and everything's OK," Preziosi added.
