Inter Milan and Adriano have officially parted ways with the Brazil striker's contract now torn up, the Serie A giants announced this afternoon.
A split has been on the cards since Adriano failed to return to Italy following international duty at the beginning of the month, and announced he was taking a leave of absence as he had ‘lost the joy of playing’.
And it was made official today, ending the 27-year-old's eight-year association with the Nerazzurri.
Adriano had a contract with the club until June 2010.
‘Inter Milan communicates that the contract of sporting work with the footballer Adriano Leite Ribeiro has been terminated with effect from April 1 2009,’ read a statement on the club website, www.inter.it.
‘This morning the documents were deposited in the offices of the National Professionals' League.
‘The whole of Inter embraces Adriano for eight years and 74 goals experienced together.’
Adriano has had a troubled time in Serie A and played most of last season on loan at Sao Paulo with Inter's consent after the player acknowledged he was going through a difficult time in his personal life.
He returned to Italy in the summer but has had several fallings out with Inter officials since.
Another player who could be following Adriano out of the San Siro exit door is Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The 27-year-old is a firm fans' favourite in the blue half of Milan but admits he is starting to get itchy feet.
‘I have a contract with Inter and I feel well here. But as the same time I would like to test something new now because I've been in Italy for five years,’ Ibrahimovic told Eurosport in an interview which will be aired on Monday.
‘I won everything in Italy, I learnt a lot from Italy. But there is a moment in your life, like when I was at Ajax, when you say to yourself you want to try something new.’
He added: ‘I think Spanish football is more the way I play ... I like technical football and they play technical there.’
The Sweden striker also revealed he passed up the chance to join Arsenal in 2001, opting for a move to Ajax instead.
‘When I was in Malmo there was someone who invited me to Arsenal to see Mr Wenger,’ added Ibrahimovic. ‘And I went there, I saw Patrick Vieira and the other big players who were there and when I met Wenger we spoke a little bit.
‘Then I also had Monaco, Ajax and Roma who contacted me. But in the end Ajax were keener. I think it was a better solution for me even if Wenger is doing a fantastic job with the young guys.’
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