Berlusconi reveals Verratti interest

20-Feb-2013 6:00:00 PM

The AC Milan president claims he wanted Andrea Pirlo, to whom the Paris Saint-Germain starlet has been compared with, to remain at San Siro but was powerless to stop him leaving

AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi has expressed interest in signing Paris Saint-Germain starlet Marco Verratti.

The midfielder most recently hit the headlines by equalising in stoppage time during Italy’s 1-1 friendly draw with Netherlands, and has played regularly under Carlo Ancelotti in Ligue 1 this season.

"Verratti is a player that [Milan] are considering to buy,” Berlusconi told Sportsmediaset. “We need to see if the financial aspects [of any deal] are good enough for us to acquire him."

Verratti has been compared to Azzurri icon Andrea Pirlo due to his fine performances in a Paris Saint-Germain shirt this term, and Berlusconi lamented the loss of the talismanic midfielder who left San Siro for Juventus on a Bosman transfer in 2011.

He said: "[The Pirlo transfer] was done behind my back. We brought in [Riccardo] Montolivo to replace the saddening departure of Pirlo.

“I did not want to sell him. I have put it behind me, but I wanted to be informed and I wanted to talk to him, but I have put it behind me."

Milan are 11 points behind the Bianconeri in the Scudetto race this season in third, having surged up the table since mid-December.