Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have reportedly been dealt a transfer blow as AC Milan have emerged as the favourites to sign Brazilian ace Bernard.
The 25-year-old is set to become a free agent this summer, with his contract with Shakhtar Donetsk set to expire.
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In turn, given his quality which has seen him produce 10 goals and four assists in 29 appearances so far this season, coupled with 15 caps for Brazil, it’s no surprise that he has attracted plenty of interest from around Europe.
However, according to The Express, via Premium Sport, he prefers a move to the San Siro over a potential switch to the Premier League this summer.
While that will be a disappointment for the Premier League trio mentioned above who are all seemingly in the market to bolster their attacking options ahead of next season, it could be a crucial addition for the Rossoneri as they’re certainly short in the wide positions.
Gennaro Gattuso has had to rely heavily on Hakan Calhanoglu and Suso in recent months, and while that is a problem in itself in terms of not being able to give them a rest, the pair are technically gifted and top players, but neither can offer a different dynamic in the final third.
Milan lack pace and a player who can take defenders on out wide, and so Bernard would certainly address that problem if he were to move to the Italian giants this summer.
Coupled with the fact that he won’t cost anything, it could be an attractive option for Milan given that they will likely cut back on their spending after signing 11 new players last summer and yet they face the threat of missing out on the Champions League next season.