Inter striker Adriano is to spend the second half of the season back in Brazil on loan at Sao Paulo - ending Manchester City's interest in him.

The 25-year-old has been receiving physical and psychological treatment in his homeland as he looks to recapture his best form.

City owner Thaksin Shinawatra had expressed an interest in bringing Adriano to the Premier League when the transfer window reopens next month.

But the powerful forward's agent Gilmar Rinaldi has revealed an agreement is in place for Adriano to join Sao Paulo on a six-month deal.

"I have just finished a meeting with the Italian officials and everything has been arranged between Inter and Adriano," Rinaldi told Terra Brazil. "I will be travelling back to Brazil on Saturday to finish some details with Sao Paulo, but what I can say for sure is that Adriano will play at Sao Paulo until June 2008."

Inter are expected to finance part of Adriano's wages, although Sao Paulo's football director Marco Aurelio Cunha concedes the deal has yet to be finalised.

Cunha said: "The negotiations are going in the correct way, but they haven't been finished yet.

"To be able to make an announcement, the player has to sign his contract and put on the shirt to be presented to the press.

"If all that happens, then next weekend we could announce it and the player will be with us for six months."

Adriano is looking forward to playing for Sao Paulo after making just four appearances in Serie A for Inter this season.

"I have been informed that there has been an arrangement with Inter and that makes me very happy," said Adriano. "Since the first day I arrived at Sao Paulo everyone has treated me very kindly."

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