Lopez nears Milan transfer

Fulham look set to miss out on striker Maxi Lopez after Catania confirmed they have agreed a deal with AC Milan.

Lopez, who has scored 22 goals in 64 matches for Catania since his arrival in 2010, will move to San Siro if AC Milan are unable to successfully negotiate a transfer for Carlos Tevez with Manchester City.

Fulham had been interested in a loan deal for Lopez but that offer was rejected by Catania, according to the club’s sporting director, Pietro Lo Monaco.

“We have an agreement with AC Milan, but it is a timeshare arrangement: Milan have blocked Maxi Lopez, and we said no to the offer of Fulham,” Lo Monaco told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Now we are waiting for the Rossoneri (AC Milan), which must solve something (Tevez’s deal).

“The agreement has been in place for some weeks and at this point it may well be that Maxi plays the next game with AC Milan.”

Furthermore, speaking to Sky Italia, Lo Monaco commented: “Maxi Lopez is virtually a Milan player, we made the player content.”

In addition, AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani confirmed an agreement between the two clubs exists, but insisted the deal will only be confirmed if Tevez does not move to the club.

“There is an agreement with Catania: if Tevez won’t come, Maxi Lopez arrives,” Galliani said.

“Now let’s see what happens, we’ll wait a few more days. Maxi Lopez is a player who interests us very much, we already agree with everything and therefore he is very likely to arrive.”

“The desire of Tevez to come to AC Milan is very pleasing, and we also want him to arrive. Let’s see.”