Cassano to pay Real to help Milan
Sampdoria's out-of-favour playmaker Antonio Cassano is apparently prepared to pay part of the €5m sell-on clause to Real Madrid so he can join Milan in January.
The 28-year-old's time at Sampdoria has come to an end after his colossal falling out with club owner Riccardo Garrone in late October.
Sampdoria took Cassano to court last week in order to rescind his contract, but the arbitration panel recommended that he be reintegrated.
Garrone immediately put the Italy international on the transfer list and agreed to let him join Milan for free on the condition that they pay Real Madrid the €5m sell-on clause in the player's contract.
This has become something of a sticking point, as Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani isn't prepared to pay the fee, especially after Real Madrid President Florentino Perez said there would be no discounts.
However, this morning's La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Galliani has proposed a three-way solution whereby Milan, Sampdoria and Cassano all contribute a third of the €5m each.
It's apparently very important that Garrone sees Cassano 'pay' for his insubordination partly because he won't feel the full effect of his punishment if he joins Milan.
The arbitration panel had asked that Cassano receive only half of his wages at Sampdoria for the remainder of the season.
But if he joins Milan in January, the Bari-born playmaker will be earning twice as much as he would be at Sampdoria, rendering the punishment meaningless.
An agreement needs to be found fast partly because the clause in Cassano's contract stipulates that Real Madrid must be paid the €5m within 15 days.
Football Italia
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