• Premier League

City have not made contact over Ibrahimovic - Milan chief

ESPN staff
May 19, 2012
Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Linked with a move to England © Getty Images
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Adriano Galliani insists AC Milan have had no contact with Manchester City over the future of star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic has been heavily linked with the newly-crowned Premier League champions in the English press this week, with the Swede reportedly Roberto Mancini's preferred transfer target should Carlos Tevez or Mario Balotelli exit the club this summer. Galliani, the Milan vice-president, moved quickly to quash speculation.

"It is not true that Manchester City asked for Ibrahimovic," Galliani told Sport Mediaset. "He will stay here with us to win the Champions League with the Milan shirt.

"We are happy to already be among the 32 in the (Champions League) group stage for next season and hope to soon be back playing a final rather than being guests."

Meanwhile, club legend Paolo Maldini has urged Milan to hold onto Ibrahimovic and defender Thiago Silva if they have any ambition of winning the Scudetto next season.

"If you want to win something then you can't do without Thiago Silva and Ibrahimovic," Maldini told Sky Sport Italia. "If the objective is to balance the accounts and have a decent campaign, then you can sacrifice one of the two."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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