AC Milan prepare move for Dzeko as Ibrahimovic nears San Siro exit

EXCLUSIVE
By Vittorio Campanile

AC Milan have set their sights on Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko as they prepare for life after Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Goal.com has learned.

The Sweden international is widely expected to leave the Rossoneri for Paris Saint-Germain, and coach Massimiliano Allegri sees the 26-year-old Dzeko as the ideal replacement.

Dzeko joined City from Wolfsburg in January 2011 for €32 million, but has never really been able to live up to the high expectations on his shoulders at the Premier League champions.

City manager Roberto Mancini is a big admirer of the Bosnian, both on and off the pitch, but would be willing to sacrifice the striker for a fee in the region of €35m in order to generate funds for new signings.

Dzeko is happy at the Etihad Stadium, but is also keen to get regular first-team action, and could therefore opt to move on in the summer transfer window.

The powerful attacker has been a Milan fan ever since his youth, and has a jersey of his idol and former Rossoneri star Andriy Shevchenko on the wall of his home in Bosnia.

Dzeko currently earns an annual wage of €8m at City, while Ibrahimovic is on €12m a season at Milan.

Meanwhile, the Serie A giants are also closely monitoring the situation of Mattia Destro. The 21-year-old impressed on loan at Siena in the 2011-12 campaign, and his agent has already visited the Milan headquarters at Via Turati.

Nevertheless, the San Siro outfit face stiff competition from clubs such as Inter, Juventus and Roma in the race for Destro's signature.