Milan have relaxed their conditions on Santiago Gimenez, and the shift hands Porto a clear route to the striker.
The move follows the club-record arrival of Gonçalo Ramos, who has pushed Gimenez down the pecking order and turned his exit into an active piece of business. The Mexican has drawn interest from Lazio and Porto for a while, but only the Portuguese side have taken concrete steps by striking an agreement with the player himself.
According to O Jogo, an important development from the Milan side could smooth the path to the Dragões. Lazio, for their part, have effectively dropped out. Gennaro Gattuso made it plain in recent days that the Biancocelesti wanted only a player already convinced by the switch, and their withdrawal came down to both Gimenez's reluctance and a shortage of funds.
That exit left the door open for Porto, whose agreement with the player and his entourage was helped along by the intermediary work of Rúben Amorim's agency.
The sticking point had always been the structure of the deal. Milan wanted a permanent sale or a loan with an obligation to buy, and Porto never showed any willingness to accept either. The Rossoneri have now moved towards them by agreeing to a loan with an option.
The minimum figure for that option is believed to be set at €20m, a level chosen to avoid a capital loss on the books given what Milan paid to sign him from Feyenoord. Talks have not formally opened, but O Jogo reports that Milan's concession, if confirmed, could speed a quick resolution.
From here, the ball sits with Porto and how far they are prepared to move on the option terms.