AC Milan Make Baptista Bid

The Rossoneri's vice president, Adriano Galliani, has stated that the club will sign a mystery player this summer and AS are convinced that it is Baptista that they have in their sights.

Madrid are keen to hold on to the 25-year-old, but would be willing to talk if Milan raised their bid to €20m, according to  report.

Galliani revealed that as well as chasing Alexandre Pato, a Mister X would also arrive who "is not Italian, and is non-EU", but could obtain a European passport in August.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has asked Silvio Berlusconi for a multi-purpose player who can work up front and as an attacking midfielder, the Italian media quoted the Milan tactician.

Baptista fits that profile perfectly, but Milan will have to increase their offer as the Spanish club's sporting director, Predrag Mijatovic, believes that the player is worth at least €20m.

After spending an unsuccessful year in the Premiership with Arsenal, Baptista saw his stock rise in the Copa América as he capped some good displays with an incredible opening goal in the final against Argentina.

Madrid coach, Bernd Schuster, has said that he would include the former Sevilla forward in his squad and is expecting his arrival at pre-season training in Austria this week.

Baptista has been given some extra time off after his exhertions in Venezuela and is due to return to Madrid later today, before jetting out to join his team-mates over the weekend.

AS believe that the player would view a move to the San Siro favourably, but he has already stated that his intention is to earn a place in the Madrid side next term.

Early speculation suggested that Barça outcast Thiago Motta was the player in question after Milan failed in their quest to prise Emerson away from the Bernabéu.

The Brazilian born midfielder does have Italian dual nationality already, meaning that he does not fit the bill for Galliani's proposed target.