Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani looks to have closed the door on a move for Parma striker Alberto Gilardino.
The Italy striker (pictured) is poised to leave the Gialloblu this summer, despite having helped the club to maintain their Serie A status last season.
Gilardino, who turned 23 on Tuesday, was widely tipped to join the Rossoneri for the forthcoming campaign, with talks due to have taken place this week.
However, Milan's decision to sign fellow striker Christian Vieri from arch-rivals Internazionale looks to have ended the San Siro club's interest in pursuing a deal for Gilardino.
With former loanee Hernan Crespo returning to parent club Chelsea, Galliani stated that Milan are happy with the present state of their squad and that Parma are asking too much for their prized possession.
"Milan's market is absolutely closed," Galliani told Sky Italia. "We are covered in all roles.
"I'm satisfied in this way, then we will see this winter what will happen.
"We won't take part in any auction, or better, we would take part should it start from a lower sum, but on these levels, there isn't an auction.
"The €30 million asked is really too much. I think today's football can't support these sums.
"With this evaluation, unfortunately, we will disappoint our Milan supporters."
With Milan seemingly stepping out of the race, the news should alert both Inter and Premiership champions Chelsea to Gilardino's availability.
Gilardino himself, meanwhile, had earlier declared his preference to join the Rossoneri, but with Milan not seemingly an option at this stage, his future could lie with another club.
"In this moment, I'm again a Parma player," he said.
"In my mind, I have clear ideas about what future I'd like for me.
"Milan are a 'reserved lane' - there is a reciprocal esteem, but I don't exclude other teams who could enter the race.
"I didn't expect this negotiation would have been so long. I thought after the Serie A play-offs that everything would have been solved.
"I hope Parma will help me because we have a big friendly relationship and it would be better to leave in the right way.
"I know my will can be fundamental."
Gilardino's agent, Beppe Bonetto, had insisted that Milan's signing of Vieri would not affect his client's proposed move to the Giuseppe Meazza.
"For Alberto's signature, Milan are always in pole position," said Bonetto. "They are always his first thought.
"Vieri's signing doesn't block his deal because his arrival is bounded to being Crespo's replacement."
Moggi please do something :down: