Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez's representatives are talking to AC Milan about a possible move for the Argentine, sources close to the situation said, on Friday.
Tevez has not played for City since September when he refused to warm-up during their Champions League game at Bayern Munich and has faced internal disciplinary action with manager Roberto Mancini saying he saw no way back for the player.
A move away from the club in the January transfer window is widely expected and Italian media have reported Milan would prefer an initial loan deal with an option to buy.
That would not sit well with City who would only consider a permanent deal and would be unwilling to take a hit by accepting anything below the market price for the talented player just because of his behaviour, the sources told Reuters.
Neither AC Milan nor Manchester City have commented on the matter.
The Tevez issue hung above Mancini's news conference, on Friday, despite the Italian's best efforts to bat it away as his team seek to put this week's Champions League setback behind them by continuing their domestic charge.
Mancini, who has faced weeks of questions about the future of the striker who is in Argentina without City's permission, shook his head when the subject was raised again.
"I don't want to speak about Carlos, sorry," he said.
The manager was instead keen to shift the focus to on-field matters as Premier League leaders City prepare to keep up their dazzling domestic form when they visit Liverpool on Sunday.
