Southampton and Leicester City are keen to sign Mattias Svanberg but AC Milan’s close ties with Serie A rivals Bologna puts them in pole position, as reported by Calciomercato.
The Rossoneri may have spent the January transfer window chasing a dynamic, box-to-box central midfielder but, despite landing Soualiho Meite on loan from Torino, history is about to repeat itself at the San Siro.
Meite has struggled to make any sort of impression under Stefano Pioli.
And, with Milan unlikely to trigger the option-to-buy clause in his contract, the seven-time European champions are scouring the market for a replacement.
Svanberg, Bologna’s £14 million-rated dynamo, is right at the top of their wish-list.
What’s more, the close relationship between Milan director Frederic Massara and Bologna counterpart Walter Sabatini puts the Rossoneri in pole position, their foot slammed on the accelerator with two Premier League clubs choking on a swirling cloud of dust.
Calciomercato reports former Malmo youngster Svanberg has admirers at Southampton and Leicester.
The 22-year-old spoke to Aftonbladet last week, admitting he would be tempted by an opportunity to make a name for himself in England.
“(If I was to leave Italy), I would probably prefer to play in England. It is the league you watch the most when you’re little and the league I follow the most if I don’t watch Italian football,” the 6ft 1in enforcer said.
But Milan have friends in high places. Sometimes, it really is who you know.
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