Milan land Lopez after Tevez transfer fails
Reuters - Friday 27 January 2012, 20:40
AC Milan have signed striker Maxi
Lopez from Catania after the Serie A club failed to reach
agreement with Manchester City on Friday to bring in Argentina
international Carlos Tevez on loan.
Milan had given the Premier League leaders until Friday to accept the club's bid for the want-away striker,
announcing the capture of Lopez on loan soon after the deadline
expired.
"We were ever so close with City," Milan Managing Director
Adriano Galliani told Milan Channel. "If someone had asked me at
17:30 GMT who would be coming, I would have said
Tevez. But we've left things well with City and the
misunderstandings have been overcome.
"The market opens again in four months, so perhaps it will
be just a few months of separation with Carlitos. I did
everything I could to bring him in. It was heart in the mouth
stuff right up until the deadline."
Lopez, who had been waiting in the wings after being heavily
linked to the Rossoneri for weeks, was signed on a loan deal
that gives Milan the chance to buy the player outright at the
end of the season.
"I kept my promise to Maxi and when we had not
reached a deal with City, we stamped his contract with the
league. Maxi will be a useful player for us. He can also play in
the Champions League."
Lopez, 27, who played alongside Tevez in Argentina's youth
teams, scored 22 goals in 66 games for Catania following stints
with Gremio, FC Moscow, Mallorca, Barcelona and River Plate.
Tevez has not kicked a ball for City since September after
being banned and fined by the club for refusing to warm up
during a Champions League match.
He has been linked with moves
to AC Milan, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.