Milan hoping to sign Honda in January

Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has hinted that CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda will sign for the club in January.

Honda’s contract expires in six months and the Japan international has been made available for transfer, with Galliani revealing that he is keen to bring him to the club.

The 27-year-old impressed for his country at the FIFA Confederations Cup and attracted Milan’s attention, but a deal is not likely to happen until the new year.

Manager Massimiliano Allegri has several other targets on his radar, including Fiorentina forward Adem Ljajic, but Galliani revealed that no deal would be done for the Serbian until there was space in the squad.

That space is likely to come from the departure of Robinho – provided someone comes in with a bid.

“We have a competitive squad, and we have the numbers,” he told Sky Italia. “Robinho is working extremely hard and he needs to get back to doing what he did in his first season with us.

“Honda and Ljajic are different. Ljajic is not possible because Robinho hasn’t left, while there is a good chance that Honda can arrive in January, and so we’ll wait for him then.”