Monday, 21st July, 2014
AC Milan are planning for the potential departure of Mario Balotelli, as links with Arsenal refuse to go away for the Italy striker.
The Gunners have been consistently mooted as contenders for Balotelli's signature this summer, despite boss Arsene Wenger's denials, and Milan CEO Adriano Galliani was forced into a statement on the issue yesterday.
Galliani claimed no Arsenal bid has arrived, but the Rossoneri are making plans in the event of a Balotelli departure.
According to Italian daily Corriere dello Sport, it is FC Porto's Jackson Martinez, himself another player to have been linked with Arsenal, who is firmly in their sights.
Milan feel the Colombian would prove to be the perfect replacement for Balotelli, who has seen himself criticised in Italy of late.
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Indeed, the Azzurri's group stage exit at the World Cup saw Balotelli come under fire, something the player is understood to have been unhappy about.
Martinez meanwhile helped Colombia reach the quarter-finals at the World Cup. Milan may find doing business with his club side FC Porto to be tough however, with the Portuguese giants notoriously hard negotiators.
The striker's buy-out clause at the Estadio do Dragao is around €40m.
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