AC Milan are convinced they can prise Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas away from the Emirates.

Andrea Pirlo, 30, is set to join Chelsea in a £21million deal next week - according to reports in Italy - and Milan will start the bidding at £30m for Spain midfielder Fabregas.

The Serie A giants are buoyed by the Arsenal skipper's comments this week that, if he ever played in Italy, he would like it to be for Milan.

He has since insisted he is 'wholeheartedly committed' to staying in north London, but Milan will offer him a five-year deal worth an after-tax salary of £65,000 a week, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Much of the £56m Milan received Kaka will go towards paying off debt, but the sale of Pirlo, plus £12.8m banked from Yoann Gourcuff's sale to Bordeaux, gives them some money to spend.