Kevin Buckley BBC Sport, Milan

Fadiga may need three months to recover

Khalilou Fadiga's on-off transfer saga looks set to take another surprising turn following a third round of medical tests carried out in Rome.

Sources in Italy say the Senegalese player's irregular heartbeat appears to be caused by a virus, which is treatable.

This means his transfer from Auxerre of France to the Serie A side Inter Milan could go ahead after all.

The Italian giants had put the transfer on hold after cardiologists in Milan refused to give the required medical certificate to the midfielder.

This followed the discovery of what they described as "a dangerous heart condition incompatible with performing professional sport."

Fadiga moves to Inter

Without medical authorisation Fadiga was barred from playing for any Italian team, although he could resume he career in France where health rules are less strict.

But he protested that his own medical tests, carried out by a Spanish specialist, revealed that there was no problem with his heart.

Last week the dispute was referred to the Italian Olympic Authority (CONI), as Fadiga underwent further tests at the end of last week.

Without medical authorisation Fadiga was barred from playing for any Italian team

And it is those results that appear to have found a way out of the transfer impasse for the 28-year-old Senegalese star.

However, he would still need up to four months to recover fully from the virus.

In the meantime, one option being touted is for Inter to temporarily take on Fadiga's Auxerre team mate, Somko Jean Boumsong.

This is an unlikely scenario, although Inter enjoys excellent relations with Auxerre, and may yet be able to come to such an arrangement.

No official announcement is expected from CONI, for which an individual athlete's medical records remain private.