AC Milan have confirmed their interest in signing Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o, but distanced themselves from media reports suggesting a deal was almost done.
The European champions said Milan vice-president Adriano
Galliani had been misquoted.
'No assault on Eto'o,' the club said in a statement on
Wednesday.
'A great club like Barcelona deserve to know that Adriano
Galliani has read with astonishment this morning what some
daily papers have written in regards to relative phrases that
have been attributed but do not correspond to what was said.
'Eto'o is a Barcelona player. Milan will make an official
approach to Barcelona when the Spanish league finishes, but
without the certainty that the great striker will eventually
arrive at Milan as the Catalonia club rightly have the final
decision on whether to sell or not.'
Milan struggled for goals in the early part of the season
after selling Andriy Shevchenko to Chelsea.
They brought in Brazil striker Ronaldo in January, but have
since been linked with bids for Eto'o, Arsenal striker Thierry
Henry or the return of Shevchenko.
Galliani said on Tuesday that unsettled striker Alberto
Gilardino could leave for 24 million euros ($32 million).
Filippo Inzaghi was preferred to the former Parma forward
in Milan's Champions League final win over Liverpool last month
and took full advantage by scoring twice in the 2-1 victory.
