La Gazzetta dello Sport understands Milan will need to find around £30m if they are to sign Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko.
The 23-year-old Bosnia international was Milan's No 1 transfer target in the summer, but Wolfsburg, having just won the Bundesliga, said they had no need to sell him.
Dzeko accepted their decision, but continued to express his desire to join Milan, who he apparently used to watch as a boy growing up.
In need of a striker, Milan turned their attention elsewhere and signed Klaas-Jan Huntelaar from Real Madrid instead.
The Dutch international hasn't made much of an impact at San Siro, in fact, he has yet to score, prompting Milan to renew their love affair with Dzeko.
Earlier this week, Dzeko revealed he has told Wolfsburg's directors that he would like to leave, and he dreams of joining Milan.
Yesterday Wolfsburg Coach Armin Veh confirmed as much, telling Eurosport: “Dzeko can leave if there is a club that is willing to pay the amount fixed in his contract. It's a fact.
“The money would allow us to find a substitute of Dzeko's class,” he concluded.
La Gazzetta understands Dzeko has a buy-out clause worth £30m, which was inserted into his contract during the summer when Milan's interest was high.
However, the clause is only valid during 2010, pressuring Milan to sell Huntelaar in order to raise enough cash to sign Dzeko and keep his wages under their new ceiling.
Milan are also weighing up offering Huntelaar in exchange, but it remains to be seen whether the Dutchman would countenance a move to Wolfsburg.
