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AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani quashed rumours on Monday that the club is in the market for a new attacking playmaker, insisting that they already have one in Kevin-Prince Boateng.
Boateng has always played as a midfielder, even occupying a defensive midfield role for Ghana at the World Cup in South Africa last year.
But Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri converted him into a “trequartista” playmaker between midfield and forwards this season, preferring him there to Brazilian star Robinho.
And despite rumours that Milan are interested in resigning Kaka from Real Madrid, Galliani says there is no need.
“Boateng is our trequartista, we need his physicality and he will be first choice (next season),” he said.
However, first he must come to a deal with Genoa president Enrico Preziosi as Boateng is currently part owned by both clubs.
Genoa bought Boateng from Portsmouth last summer before registering him with the Italian League as part-owned by both clubs.
A year ago Milan didn’t have the money to buy the 24-year-old so entered into a complicated agreement with Genoa, who paid Portsmouth 5.7 million euros up front.
Milan then paid Genoa one million euros for their half share while various other players were exchanged in the deal.
To sign him outright, Milan must now stump up the second half of his value but Preziosi claimed on Monday that the Serie A champions are trying to do a deal on the cheap.
“He (Boateng) is like wine, he gets better with age, and costs more too,” said Preziosi.
“Boateng is worth half his value of today, not withstanding the other half which last summer was acquired at little cost, and not just in liquid cash but also with players.
“There’s a 50 percent chance Boateng will stay with Milan. We have an agreement with Galliani which also involves other players, (Marco) Amelia, (Giacomo) Beretta, (Rodney) Strasser, (Nnamdi) Oduamadi, (Gianmarco) Zigoni.
“If Milan respect this agreement there won’t be any problems, and I don’t think there will be any.”
However, Galliani claimed it was Preziosi who wanted to change the parametres, joking that he wanted Milan to pay for Boateng’s dancing skills as well as his footballing ones - the German-born player had given a performance of the Michael Jackson moonwalk at Milan’s title party.
“Yesterday Preziosi wanted to increase the price to make me pay for Prince’s dancing qualities but I only have the intention of paying for his footballing ones,” said Galliani.
“We’re still at 50-50 but we’ll find an agreement.”
Boateng’s situation is not the only one under discussion at Milan with several veteran players such as captain Massimo Ambrosini, Clarence Seedorf, Mark van Bommel, Alessandro Nesta and Andrea Pirlo at the end of their contracts.
But Galliani said the club will sit down with them next week to discuss their futures.
Reports in the Italian press are that some of them may be on their way out as the club looks to reduce its wage bill and free up some funds to pay outstanding transfer fees for Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho, as well as Boateng.
Source: Ghanasoccernet
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