AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has reiterated his claim that Carlos Tevez wants to move to San Siro but that the proposed deal still hinges on Manchester City agreeing to a loan deal with a view to permanent transfer.
Personal terms have reportedly already been agreed with Tevez’s representative, Kia Joorabchian, but Galliani concedes that he now faces a difficult task in trying to persuade City to allow the player to first join the Italian champions on loan.
“They want to sell the player outright,” he told Sky Sport 24. “The player prefers to [join] us, but it will not be an easy thing to be finalised.
“It will take time…. [and] in the race for the player there is also Paris Saint-Germain and other teams, also Italian.
“I will do everything possible – and impossible. But it is no easy task. What usually matters most is the will of the player, but we’ll see.”
Galliani did reveal that, if the Tevez saga is not resolved in their favour, Maxi Lopez will be signed from Catania as a replacement for Antonio Cassano, who last month underwent heart surgery.
“Antonio will likely be back next season and, if Tevez does not arrive, we have a pre-agreement with Catania’s Maxi Lopez,” he confirmed.
“For me, he is a great player, but I realise that it’s more fascinating to talk about Tevez.”
Galliani also dismissed the notion that Milan’s search for a new forward means that Stephen El Shaarawy is now surplus to requirements at San Siro, though he did concede that Filippo Inzaghi might have to consider moving on.
“Even if we were to get another striker, it is not certain that he [El Shaarawy] will leave,” he claimed.
“Inzaghi? It is only natural that a great champion like him will have to decide what it considers the appropriate thing to do.”
Milan are currently third in Serie A, having missed a chance to go top on Sunday by drawing 2-2 with Bologna.