Corinthians owned forward Alexandre Pato has offered himself to Serie A outfit Internazionale, according to reports.
Italian national sports newspaper Corriere dello Sport, as cited by website Football Italia, claims that the 25 year-old could become a free agent in the coming weeks or months due to an ongoing legal battle with Corinthians.
It is believed that they have not paid Pato image rights that he is owed and that if that disagreement cannot be settled, then he may be allowed to release himself from his contract.
The Brazil international – capped 27 times since debuting in 2008 – is currently on loan at São Paulo and has been since February 2014.
That deal is set to run until December of this year, but if he becomes a free agent, then he would be able to terminate the loan.
Pato’s time with the Soberano has been largely successful – he has netted 15 goals in 44 appearances – and the opportunity to pick him up on a free transfer will likely tempt Inter Head Coach Roberto Mancini, who is said to be a keen admirer.
Any move to the Nerazzurri would however, be considered controversial, given Pato’s past at Milan.
They signed him in August 2007 from Internacional for a reported fee of €22 million and he went on to score 63 goals in 150 appearances and be part of a side that won the 2011-11 Serie A title and 2011 Supercoppa Italiana.
Despite his good record at the club, injuries began to limit Pato’s influence and he was eventually sold on to Corinthians for a reported fee of €15 million in January 2013.
