AC Milan chief says Carlos Tevez can only arrive on loan

AC Milan are still interested in Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez but only want to sign players on loan in the January transfer window, chief executive Adriano Galliani said on Monday.

That could rule out a move to Milan for the Argentina striker though as City are known to only be prepared to sell the player who has fallen out of favour after refusing to warm up during a Champions League match in September.

But it has not put off Milan, who need a forward as Antonio Cassano was ruled out for months after heart surgery and who have pulled off several shrewd signings in recent years using loan deals which turned into cost-effective permanent transfers.

"Tevez? Let's see. There is time. If it wasn't for the problem with Cassano we would have stuck with what we had," Galliani told reporters.

"Whoever arrives in January will be on loan with the right to buy."

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti also said "let's see" when asked by reporters on Monday if his club was interested in Tevez.