MADRID - Diego Forlan is to leave La Liga club Atletico Madrid after four seasons and will join Serie A side Inter Milan, the Uruguay striker announced yesterday.

A La Liga topscorer with both Villarreal and Atletico, the former Manchester United forward was voted best player at the World Cup finals in South Africa last year as Uruguay reached the last four.

"Farewells are always hard, because it has been four years plus the three at Villarreal and now. I will be leaving behind people's kindness, which I will never forget," Forlan said at a news conference in the Spanish capital.

"I am looking forward very much to rejuvenating myself, it's all new and it's where you find motivation because the challenges are greater.
"You don't often get a chance to go to Inter at the age of 32 and I hope I can live up to the expectations."

The Copa America winner's arrival at Inter is good news for coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who has lost forwards Samuel Eto'o and Goran Pandev to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala and Napoli respectively.

The Italian club, who lost their domestic crown to local rivals AC Milan last season, said in a statement on their website yesterday that Forlan had arrived in the city and would complete his move on today.

"I am here to continue winning with Inter," the club quoted him as telling journalists at Linate airport. "My goal is to play and score as much as possible for my new team." REUTERS