ALESSANDRO MATRI will join Genoa on loan while Šime Vrsaljko will come to Milan; Could be official on Tuesday.
Weekends are usually time to rest after a long week of work but these days it's also used to watch the World Cup quarterfinals and sign and sell players – if you are Adriano Galliani, the Vice President and CEO of the red and black club.
Galliani has spent the last days at Forte dei Marmi, his favourite spot for holidays but he was not alone as Genoa President Enrico Preziosi was also there and the 2 used their time next to each other to close a deal: Matri & Vrsaljko will swap sides.
According to Sky Sport Italia and La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan and Genoa have agreed on almost everything regarding Alessandro Matri and Šime Vrsaljko. Genoa want the soon to be 30-years-old Milan striker to replace the departing Alberto Gilardino and he will join them on loan. It remains to be seen if a buy-out clause will be included in the contract of Ale.
Vrsaljko, who was in the World Cup with Croatia, attracted the interest of Milan, Juventus and Sassuolo and il Diavolo have won the race for the 22-year-old fullback. It's still unclear if he will join Milan on loan or permanently right away. Galliani and Preziosi shook hands this morning and the final okay from Enrico is only missing but should arrive by Monday. The two clubs will now meet the agents of the players to discuss personal terms (Milan will probably pay some of Matri's wages).
Valter Birsa is also set to leave Milan on loan with Chievo Verona signing him. It'll perhaps be official on Monday. Meanwhile Milan continue their hunt for a right winger and according to Sky the four candidates for this role are Hellas Verona's Juan Iturbe (for whom Milan reportedly offered €17 million in cash + €11m in installments – direct clash with Juventus for the Argentine), Torino's Alessio Cerci, Real Sociedad's Antoine Griezmann and Olympique de Marseille's Mathieu Valbuena.
Sky is also reporting that Milan would consider signing Jackson Martinez from Porto in the case of a Mario Balotelli departure. Gazzetta wrote in today's edition that Balotelli has no offers and no clubs are seriously interested in him now.