Goal.com

24-Apr-2012 5:13:00 PM

The Rossoneri are set to send the midfielder back to England this summer after declining to make the move permanent, forcing Kenny Dalglish's side to find him a new club

Alberto Aquilani looks set to be sent back to Liverpool by AC Milan, with the reigning Serie A champions having no intention of making the midfielder's stay at the club permanent.

Aquilani joined Milan on a one-year loan deal at the start of the 2011-12 campaign, and the Rossoneri are obliged to sign the Italy international for a transfer fee of €8 million if he features in at least 25 games this term, but the stipulation does not include part-appearances.

With Aquilani still short of that mark, the Italian club are unhappy that his form and fitness only held up for the first four months of the season, with his recent difficulties leading to the decision not to take up the option to sign him permanently.

In addition, there are rumours surfacing that Milan may already have a deal in place with Fiorentina’s Riccardo Montolivo, who was reportedly seen house-hunting in the city recently. Another Italy international, the former Atalanta man is out of contract with the Viola this summer, and is seen by the Rossoneri as a more suitable choice than Aquilani for their line-up in 2012-13, with his status as a free agent also appealing.

Milan’s stance deals a huge blow to Liverpool’s hopes of getting the 27-year-old off their books. He still has two years to run on his Anfield deal, but indications from Merseyside suggest he is not a part of manager Kenny Dalglish’s long-term plans, while Aquilani himself does not want to return to the club either.

The midfielder is a product of the Roma youth academy, but left the Gialllorossi for Liverpool in the summer of 2009. He spent only one full season with the Reds before being loaned to Juventus in 2010-11, and after the Bianconeri decided not to take up their €16m option to sign him permanently, the Italy international was eventually snapped up on loan by Milan.

The perceived failure of Aquilani’s spells at the two Serie A giants would make it difficult for the FA Cup finalists to find a big-name buyer in Italy, narrowing down their sale options at a time when they are increasingly desperate to move him on.