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It is also believed that Newcastle United had been after the Czech Republic international.

The 29-year-old insists that Spartak and Inter have agreed to return to talks in the summer.

"Sevilla, Fiorentina and, mainly, Internazionale were interested. It all seemed like I would move to Inter and an agreement was very, very close," Kovac said.

"But Spartak asked for 9 million euros for me and that was too much. Who would pay so much money for a 29-year-old defender?

"However, an agreement has been reached that the transfer might happen under slightly different conditions in the summer. Anyway, it is still a while until then. Firstly, I must get back in form and get into the Euro 2008 squad. I am satisfied in Moscow but Inter are simply a different calibre."