Real Madrid midfielder tops AC Milan wish list

After only joining Los Blancos last summer from Inter, Mateo Kovacic is attracting interest from the Rossoneri.

New AC Milan coach Vincenzo Montella has made Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic his top priority in the Rossoneri’s transfer campaign.

After acquiring Serie B’s leading goalscorer in Gianluca Lapadula, the Diavolo are now looking towards bolstering the midfield, and the wantaway Croatian is what Montella is looking for.

Kovacic joined Madrid from Milan’s cross-town rivals Inter last summer for €35 million, however he failed to live up to the transfer fee as most of his appearances came off the bench.

Should Milan fail, they are also considering alternatives in Leandro Paredes of Roma, Udinese playmaker Piotr Zielinski, and Sampdoria’s Roberto Soriano.

Paredes is owned by Roma but enjoyed a solid season on loan with Empoli last year. Zielinski could be on his way to Napoli, and Soriano had been previously linked to Milan last summer.

Meanwhile, in defence, Milan are interested in two La Liga based centre-backs in Mateo Musacchio of Villarreal and Shkrodan Mustafi of Valencia.

Milan director Adriano Galliani already met with Musacchio’s agent in Ibiza over the weekend, while Mustafi is plan B should they fail to acquire the Argentine.