Milan: Inter Milan have signed Argentina defender Walter Samuel from Real Madrid, the Italian club said on Monday.

Inter said in a statement on their official website the central defender had signed a four-year deal with the Serie A club. Samuel, 27, has previously played in Italy for AS Roma where he won the Italian league in 2001.

Inter are also in negotiations to sign Real’s Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo, having already brought in Argentine winger Santiago Solari from the Spanish club.

Samuel leaves Real after completing just one season of a five-year deal signed when he joined the club for a fee of 25 million euros ($30.25 million) from Roma last July.

He was brought in to strengthen the club’s shaky back four, but struggled to adapt to the more open style of football in Spain and was given little support by an attack-minded midfield in the early part of the season. (Reuters)