Sampdoria snap up Ricky Alvarez

Posted Tuesday, January 05, 2016 by foxsportsasia.com

Sampdoria have announced the signing of midfielder Ricky Alvarez on a six-month deal following his release by Inter Milan.

The 27-year-old linked up with the Serie A side in December to improve his fitness and impressed sufficiently to earn an extended stay at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Alvarez, who has nine caps for Argentina, successfully completed a medical at the Italian club on Monday.

A statement on Sampdoria's official website read: "President Massimo Ferrero and everyone at UC Sampdoria are delighted to announce that Ricardo Gabriel Alvarez is now officially a Blucerchiati player.

"The Argentine attacking midfielder chose shirt number 25 after signing a contact with the club until 30 June 2016."

Alvarez's move to Sampdoria is not without controversy, though, as Inter are still locked in a legal battle with English Premier League side Sunderland.

The midfielder spent the 2014/15 campaign on loan at the Stadium of Light, with the deal including a clause which gave Sunderland the option to make the deal permanent for a fee of £7.5m.

However, the player's father, Carlos Alvarez, told Diario Hoy in November: "Ricky had a contract with Inter, but FIFA accepted their appeal.

"When the market for free agents opens he'll be free to negotiate with any club."