Experienced Cagliari midfielder Alex Pinardi has joined Serie B leaders Novara.

The 30-year-old has struggled to establish himself as a regular since joining Cagliari last summer.

But Novara's swoop still demonstrates their ambition as the battle for promotion to the Italian top flight intensifies.

Pinardi is thrilled with the move, telling Novara's official website: "Everything emerged not more than two days ago.

"I was immediately happy and luckily everything became concrete in just a few hours."