Liverpool are set to finally sell midfielder Alberto Aquilani, with AC Milan seemingly his destination.
Rumours have been swirling for some time in Italy over the identity of a ‘Mr X’ whom AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri had identified as a replacement to Andrea Pirlo. Aquilani was pointed out in the Italian media as the likeliest player to be ‘Mr X’, ironic given that Pirlo’s arrival at Juventus scuppered Aquilani’s chances of a permanent move there after spending last season on loan at the Turin side.
Reports from Italy suggest that Liverpool are willing to let Aquilani go to Milan for as little as 6 million euro (£5 million) – a huge loss on the £17 million that the Reds paid Roma for him in 2009.
Aquilani told Italian newspaper Gazetta dello Sport yesterday that he was close to joining Milan while press reports in Italy suggest that the deal could either take the form of a season-long loan with the prospect of a permanent move next summer, or the payment of three tranches of 2 million euro to wrap up the deal. However, Aquilani’s proposed move to Fiorentina last month collapsed because the Italian side wanted a loan move first ahead of a permanent deal, something the player was not interested in.
