Lavezzi fuels exit talk after failing to report for PSG training

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi has failed to report for training ahead of the French champions friendly against Inter Milan tomorrow.

The Argentina international has been the subject of transfer speculation for some time as his relationship with PSG manager Laurnet Blanc deteriorated this season.

Liverpool, Inter Milan and Napoli have reportedly been monitoring the 29-year-old’s situation in France. But it appears that Internazionale have beaten the Premier League side and their Serie A rivals to the player’s signature.

The Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that Lavezzi is close to completing a move to Milan, with a deal set to be announced before the opening of the January transfer window in Italy.

The newspaper states that manager Roberto Mancini has targeted the PSG forward, as well as Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski, as his primary targets to jump start the Nerazzurri’s season. Inter Milan currently sit in eleventh place in Serie A, although the club is only six points off from Champions League qualification.

What has yet to be determined is whether the Argentine will move on a permanent deal, or if the forward will initially arrive on-loan this season with Internazionale holding an option to buy.

Lavezzi joined PSG from Napoli in July 2012 for a reported fee of £21 million; his current deal with the French side runs until 2016.

In two seasons with PSG, the forward has made 73 appearances, scoring 14 times for the Parisians. Of Lavezzi’s thirteen league appearances this season, the 29-year-old has only started eight times for the defending Ligue Un champions due to injury and poor form.

The forward is hoping a switch in leagues and a change of scenery will improve his playing time, since he believes he has fallen down manager Laurent Blanc’s pecking order in France.