Rome - Inter Milan could let stars Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Douglas Maicon go and have confirmed their interest in young French international Karim Benzema.

Inter president Massimo Moratti told Monday's edition of the Il Giornale daily that he would like to welcome the 21-year-old striker, but "without spending too much money."

The future of the Swedish striker Ibrahimovic and of Brazilian right-back Maicon, both aged 27, could lie elsewhere.

Ibrahimovic could to be looking for challenges elsewhere and the defender Maicon expects a better contract after three convincing seasons with the Italian champions.

Moratti, who recently met with Barcelona president Joan Laporta, said that "as a fan, I'd like them to stay, but as a president, with a budget to balance, I say that if they want to go they can go.

"Keeping them is counter-productive. If you want to go, you'd better go."

The president said that his market manager Marco Branca is now negotiating with Real Madrid for Maicon, but noted that Real "have little interest for defenders; actually, no interest at all. And luckily so, because Maicon is the best defender in the world."

There seem to be few chances that Inter buy talent Antonio Cassano, 26, from Sampdoria because "(coach) Jose (Mourinho) wants big guys. That's what he thinks. There's absolutely nothing about Cassano, although he is a player that both I and Mourinho appreciate a lot," Moratti said.

Inter have already secured Argentine striker Diego Milito, 30, and Brazil midfielder Thiago Motta, 26, from Genoa. Milito scored 24 goals this season, one less than the Serie A top scorer Ibrahimovic.

The champions also appear close to signing Austrian Marko Arnautovic, a 20-year-old striker from Dutch side Twente, the Austrian news agency APA reported on Monday.

The towering Serbia-born Arnautovic recently suffered a serious foot injury, which Inter want to evaluate before offering him a contract. (dpa)