AC Milan are reportedly looking to beat Chelsea to the signing of Fiorentina midfielder Milan Badelj after Vincenzo Montella made him one of his top targets.
The Croatian international has 18 months remaining on his current deal with the Viola, and according to talkSPORT, he is refusing to sign an extension.
That in turn has sparked the interest of Chelsea, with Antonio Conte searching for midfield reinforcements in January to help his side maintain their current form and continue to battle for the Premier League title.
However, as per Corriere dello Sport, Montella has made Badelj, a player he knows well having worked with him during his time in Florence, and Alejandro Gomez his top two targets in the New Year as he looks to bolster his own squad.
The Rossoneri have exceeded expectations so far this season as they sit third in the Serie A table after making an impressive start to the campaign.
As noted by talkSPORT, the Italian giants are expected to wrap up a takeover in the New Year and so will likely be armed with significant transfer funds.
In turn, they will feel confident in their ability to compete with the likes of Chelsea in the transfer market, and will hope to beat Conte to Badelj and add an important piece to their squad.
In contrast, it’s claimed by Corriere that they could sell unsettled striker Carlos Bacca in order to fund their transfer activity as delays continue to blight the takeover from Sino-Europe Sports.
The Colombian international has lost his place in the side to in-form Gianluca Lapadula and angered many supporters last month when he opted to return to former club Sevilla rather than travel with his teammates for their trip to Empoli on the same night.
Although he was injured and wasgiven permission to have the weekend off, many have questioned his commitment and so perhaps a sale would be welcomed if it meant giving Lapadula more playing time and allowing Montella to strengthen elsewhere.