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Inter Milan are hoping to complete the signing of English winger Tom Ince by the end of this week.

The 22-year-old, whose contract with Blackpool expires this month, has an offer to join the Nerazzurri outfit.

Ince arrived in Milan on Sunday with his father Paul, who played two seasons at Inter almost two decades ago, to discuss a possible move to the San Siro outfit.

When asked if the deal had been completed, Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio said on the club's official website: "It's still early.

"The player came to Milan because he wanted to have a look at everything for himself.

"We made the most of the weekend that he decided to spend in Milan with his family.

"We've laid some foundations, now we'll see if we're able to close the deal over the coming days."

Ince spent the second half of this season on loan at Crystal Palace and is also a reported target of Monaco and Everton.

Inter would only have to pay a nominal compensation fee to Blackpool for Ince.

Should they fail to lure Ince to Milan, the Italian media claim the Nerazzurri would then make an approach for Tottenham winger Erik Lamela.

Lamela moved to the London outfit last summer from Roma in a £30million transfer deal but has failed to impress in his first season in the Premier League.

The 22-year-old made only three league starts and missed the second half of the campaign through injury.

When asked about Lamela, Ausilio said: "I don't usually name names, we have a lot of work to do."

London - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger saluted Olivier Giroud after the French striker came off the bench and scored twice in Saturday's 4-1 win over Everton in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Giroud has been used sparingly in recent weeks - amid stories about his private life in the British tabloids - and started on the bench against Everton, with Yaya Sanogo given a chance to lead the line.

With Romelu Lukaku having cancelled out Mesut Ozil's seventh-minute opener at the Emirates Stadium, the score was 1-1 when Giroud entered the fray in the 61st minute.

His first major contribution was one to forget, as his encroachment into the penalty area forced Mikel Arteta to retake a penalty that he had scored to apparently put Arsenal ahead.

However, the Spanish midfielder made no mistake with his second attempt and Giroud fully atoned for his indiscretion by claiming a late brace.

The former Montpellier striker has now scored 18 goals in all competitions this term and Wenger hailed his contribution.

"It was important because he was on the end of things and shows that, when a player comes off the bench of that quality, it can make a difference," said Wenger, whose side are bidding to end a nine-year trophy drought.

"He was on the bench for what reason? He has played many games. For the rest, he has come on and showed he can score goals when he comes on."

Wenger, whose side will seek to overturn a 2-0 deficit in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Bayern Munich next week, felt that the hosts were deserved victors.

"We had a quality performance from the first to the last minute against a good side," he said.

"Everton started the second half well and had a good moment in the game where they had the chance with (Ross) Barkley after, then we scored the second goal and then we controlled the game well."

Everton manager Roberto Martinez was left to rue a chance that Barkley fired over the bar shortly before Gareth Barry fouled Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the incident that led to the penalty.

"I felt the key moment of the game was going to be the second goal as we had made it a really uncomfortable game for Arsenal," he said.

"We had a great chance and, in nine out of 10 situations like that, Ross Barkley will hit the target.

"I can see why the referee gave the penalty, although I don't agree with the decision completely, because there is contact, but the ball is challenged (for) by both of the players.

"After that, we gambled a bit and the final scoreline does not reflect what happened in the game."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has sided with the FA's retrospective disciplinary system after they cleared Man City midfielder Yaya Toure.

The FA decided to take no action against Toure for an apparent kick at Norwich's Ricky van Wolfswinkel during the closing stages of Saturday's goalless draw at Carrow Road, an incident which was missed by the match officials.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who views City as the title favourites, claimed not suspending Toure sent out the wrong message.

Wenger accepts the decisions of the independent panel may in some cases be difficult to understand, but believes in what they stand for.

"It is a decision we have to accept," said Wenger, whose side were knocked off the top of the Premier League by Chelsea after they were thrashed 5-1 at Liverpool.

"This decision is questioned, and people who make these decisions can answer these questions, I do not know why they made the decision.

"One positive thing is that this committee exists and that the players know that they can be punished even after the game, so that is very positive.

"After that, the decision is made by human beings and then you have to accept we will not always agree on the way the decisions are made.

"But it is a good thing that this committee and the whole (disciplinary) process exists."

The decision not to take action against the Ivory Coast star is a huge boost for City - he could have faced a three-match ban but the three-man panel of former elite referees which reviewed the incident did not unanimously believe it was an act of violent conduct.

Blues boss Mourinho, though, was less than impressed.

"If he is not suspended, the message is clear: the players can do what they want if the referee doesn't see," he said ahead of the panel's decision being made on Monday afternoon.

"If there's no suspension, the message is normally that, if the FA defends football, he'd have to be suspended.

"It's the same for everyone: if the referee doesn't see, I can do whatever.

"It doesn't matter about cameras or others seeing. I can do whatever I want."

Toure, arguably City's most influential player this season, will now be available for Wednesday's game against Sunderland, the Chelsea cup tie and the league fixture against Stoke.

Norwich boss Chris Hughton, meanwhile, claimed Toure did kick his player, though said it was a "minimal incident".

Van Wolfswinkel also gave his backing to the decision, writing on Twitter: "Good to see Toure not getting suspended. Players like him belong on the pitch! What happens at Carrow Road stays at Carrow Road.

"Things happen on the pitch. But we all enjoy watching him play. So get on with it and enjoy the football. That's what it's all about."

There was more good news for City on Monday, with Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri taking part in a training session after injuries.

Football Federation Australia has confirmed the Socceroos will play Ecuador in a friendly in London next month.

The match will take place at The Den, home of Championship side Millwall, and serve as preparation for the World Cup finals, where Australia will take on Spain, the Netherlands and Chile.

Ecuador, captained by Manchester United's Antonio Valencia, have also qualified for the tournament in Brazil, drawn in a group with France, Honduras and Switzerland.

"We're excited to have secured the match against Ecuador, which offers us a good test against South American opposition leading into the World Cup," Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou said in a statement.

"We have tried to secure opponents for the games leading into the World Cup to replicate the type of football we are expecting to face in Brazil and playing Ecuador gives us some quality South American opposition ahead of the first group stage match against Chile.

"This is also the last match we will play before we get together in May for our final World Cup preparations so it's important that we can build on the first positive steps we took in the match against Costa Rica late last year."