KUWAIT, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Kuwait will sign a deal next week to buy Eurofighter jets, Kuwait's state news agency KUNA said on Thursday, citing the defence minister.

Kuwait signed a memorandum of understanding in September to buy 28 Eurofighter jets, the consortium that makes the aircraft said, in a deal worth up to 8 billion euros ($9 billion).

Italy's defence minister will be in Kuwait next week to finalise the deal, KUNA said, citing Kuwait's Defence Minister Sheikh Khaled Jarrah al-Sabah.

(Reporting by Sylvia Westall; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Keywords: KUWAIT ITALY/EUROFIGHTER