Palace in loan swoop for Inter Milan pair

Crystal Palace have taken striker Nicola Ventola and defender Gonzalo Sorondo on loan from Inter Milan for the rest of the season.

The Italian club announced last night that Iain Dowie made the signings ahead of the transfer deadline to give his struggling side a much-needed boost.

The Palace manager was desperate to add more quality to his squad after a difficult start to the season and landed the Inter fringe players after lengthy negotiations.

Sorondo is an uncompromising 24-year-old Uruguay international centre-back. He joined Inter in 2001 but has made only 11 first-team appearances and was linked with a move to Bolton last year.

Ventola, 26, began his career with Bari before heading to the San Siro in

1998. He also failed to break into the squad under a succession of managers and had spells on loan at Bologna and Atalanta.

During a temporary move to Siena last season he was cleared of all charges in a betting-related match-fixing scandal.