AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has discussed the sales of strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano over the summer.

Galliani believes Stephan El Shaarawy would not have emerged without making room for the youngster over the summer.

"I suffered a lot with Ibra," he said. "The economical situation in this country is what it is. Ibra was a luxury which we had to give up on.

"With Ibra, maybe Stephan El Shaarawy wouldn't have been able to do what he has. I don't have proof of that, but that is what I think.

"Cassano? He continually asked us, via text message, to sell him. He wanted to leave and he's hammered me and Massimiliano Allegri."