AC Milan chief Adriano Galliani says they did all they could to sign Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Axel Witsel.

The Belgian remains with Zenit now the market is shut.

“We tried for Witsel," Galliani said.

“We'd have had to spend more than €25m, we were hoping to take him on loan with an option to buy, not an obligation, but it wasn't possible.

“It was a long transfer campaign, with eight players brought in, in addition to two Primavera players in [Davide] Calabria and [Gianluigi] Donnarumma who have graduated to the first team.

“Philippe Mexes? There was a negotiation, but it didn't go through.

“The month of August is strange in football, now September is beginning, so let's see what happens."