AC Milan are plotting an audacious raid for Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Ajax director of football Marc Overmars for next season, according to reports in Spain.
The Italian side have had a disappointing start to the season and have axed Marco Giampaolo after three and a half months in charge at the San Siro.
Despite the appointment of Stefano Pioli to succeed Giampaolo, Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo claims that Milan's owners, Elliott Management, are preparing to make sweeping changes.
The owners have become frustrated at the lack of results and the different managers who have failed to turn around the Serie A club's fortunes.
And the club have identified Guardiola, 48, as their number one target for rebuilding Milan into a European powerhouse.
The Spaniard, who was linked with Juventus in the summer, arrived at City in 2006 and his current deal with the club expires in 2021.
However, the club's hierarchy is keen to make changes in recruitment and are reportedly frustrated with technical director Paolo Maldini and chief football officer Zvonimir Boban.
According to reports, Milan feel that they don't have the experience needed for their respective roles and only bring their 'links to the club's previous success as players.'
Mundo Deportivo has suggested that Overmars has been identified as Milan's main target.
The ex-Ajax and Barcelona player has been instrumental in building the defending Dutch champions into a dominant force in Europe, which was shown in their extraordinary Champions League run last season.
But Milan could face a tough test in snapping up Overmars after the 46-year-old Dutchman extended his contract with the club until 2024.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has been linked with a return to Serie A in January, has blasted his former employers and called Milan "a disaster."
He told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport: "They're all talk and no action.
"This is not the club everyone fell in love with, in Italy and all over the world.
Advert
"Perhaps there are too many wrong people who should be elsewhere.
"Paolo Maldini doesn't have what it takes to be a director, whereas in his playing career he was one of my all-time favourites.
"In fairness, Maldini does have a difficult task, because it's not easy to do well with limited resources."
Milan will resume their Serie A campaign on Sunday against Lecce at the San Siro.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics:ย Manchester City, Football News, Football, Pep Guardiola, Serie A, Eredivisie, Premier League, Ajax, AC Milan, San Siro