Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo joined Inter Milan in a two-year deal loan deal yesterday.

The 31-year-old has moved on a free transfer - but Chelsea have the option to take him back to Stamford Bridge after one season.

Chelsea signed Crespo from Inter for £16.8m in August 2003 but he failed to cement a regular starting place and has complained about missing Italy.

The Argentine recently acquired Italian citizenship and still owns a house on the outskirts of Milan.

Last week the forward, who has played for Parma, Lazio, Inter Milan and AC Milan, said: "The fact is I love Italy. The money and success don't come into it.

"Italy is my natural environment, it is the place where I will live when I retire and it is the best place to play." (BBC Sport)

Crespo had also attracted interest from AC Milan, with whom he spent the 2004/05 season on loan from Chelsea.

The arrival of Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan this summer had left Crespo an even more peripheral figure at Stamford Bridge.

However, the departure of Crespo leaves Didier Drogba and Shevchenko as the only front-line strikers at Chelsea, which might lead manager Jose Mourinho into another foray into the transfer market. I don't expect him to sign any English players, one possible option is Argentinian wizz kid - Tevez. With Chelsea spending money like they are, I can't see any reason at all why they'd opt for anything less than a footballing superstar as another striking option. Who knows maybe they will rotate Drogba and Shevchenko as the lone front man. We'll just have to wait and see.