AC Milan have confirmed their interest in signing Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o, but distanced themselves from media reports suggesting a deal was almost done.

The European champions said Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani had been misquoted.

"No assault on Eto'o," the club said in a statement on Wednesday.

"A great club like Barcelona deserve to know that Adriano Galliani has read with astonishment this morning what some daily papers have written in regards to relative phrases that have been attributed but do not correspond to what was said.

"Eto'o is a Barcelona player. Milan will make an official approach to Barcelona when the Spanish league finishes, but without the certainty that the great striker will eventually arrive at Milan as the Catalonia club rightly have the final decision on whether to sell or not."

Milan struggled for goals in the early part of the season after selling Andriy Shevchenko to Chelsea.

They brought in Brazil [Images] striker Ronaldo [Images] in January, but have since been linked with bids for Eto'o, Arsenal striker Thierry Henry [Images] or the return of Shevchenko.

Galliani said on Tuesday that unsettled striker Alberto Gilardino could leave for 24 million euros ($32 million).

Filippo Inzaghi was preferred to the former Parma forward in Milan's Champions League final win over Liverpool last month and took full advantage by scoring twice in the 2-1 victory.