AC Milan scout Ernesto Bronzetti believes the
Rossoneri have a "50% chance" of signing Arsenal forward Emmanuel
Adebayor, but claims the London club intend to sell to
Barcelona.
Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said on Thursday that
Adebayor was now his club's sole transfer target this summer, and
the the Italian club would be putting all their efforts into
signing the player. However, reports in Spain have suggested that
Barcelona have reached a deal to sign Adebayor for 27million euros
after repeatedly snubbing the approaches from Milan.
Bronzetti - a renowned FIFA agent and the man behind most of the
big transfers between La Liga and Serie A - confirmed these
reports, saying that Barca president Joan Laporta hopes to sign the
24-year-old in a bid to strengthen his position ahead of the club's
presidential election on July 6.
"Let's say we have a 50% chance, a lot will depend on the wishes
of the player in the end," he told Italian TV station Radio Radio
TV.
"Arsenal want to sell him to Barcelona, for their own motives.
Barcelona tell me they already have an agreement with the player.
"I only know that the Barcelona president, Laporta, after having
been doubted, now wants to shut everyone up by buying a big-name
forward."
However, Bronzetti believes Milan still have an advantage over
their Spanish rivals, as Barcelona need to sell before they can
finalise any deal with Arsenal. The Catalan club have already spent
big this summer, and need to sell unwanted players such as
Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o to raise funds.
Both players have been told they can leave the club, and both
have been linked with Milan. But Bronzetti believes publicly
announcing the pair can leave will only drive their price down, and
urged Milan not to buy either of the two so as not to supply Barca
with the funds.
He continued: "I do know they won't have the economic means to
buy him until they sell Eto'o or Ronaldinho, so I'd advise Milan
not to buy either of them or they'll finance the operation of
taking Adebayor to Barcelona. "(Saying the players weren't needed)
was a massive strategic error. Now anyone who wants to buy those
players is maybe going to wait until August 29.
"They've spent 57million euros already and their finances aren't
infinite, so now if wait a bit the price for Ronaldinho and Eto'o
will go down."