AC Milan are reportedly considering a move for Manchester United centre-back Eric Bailly after being put off by Liverpool's asking price for Dejan Lovren.
New Milan boss Marco Giampaolo is understood to have made bringing in a new central defender his top priority ahead of the 2019-20 season as he looks to shore up a backline which conceded 36 goals last season.
Lovren had been the Rossoneri's first choice, but Liverpool are demanding at least £18m for the Croatian, whose £4.5m salary would also pose problems for a club that have already been banned from next season's Europa League due to Financial Fair Play violations.
Tuttosport reports that Milan could instead turn their attention to Bailly, who they believe would be a cheaper option than Lovren.
The 25-year-old only has a year remaining on his contract at Manchester United and has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford, making only eight Premier League starts throughout the 2018-19 campaign, including just three under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Bailly is reportedly happy to stay at United, but the club would be looking to offload a centre-back should they succeed in their pursuit of Leicester City's Harry Maguire, for whom they have already seen two bids rejected.
Barney Corkhill
