Milan have identified Nicola Zalewski as their main target to reinforce the wing-back positions before the window shuts, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
The need has become pressing. With Zachary Athekame gone to Lyon on loan and Pervis Estupiñán's exit looking imminent, Milan would be left with only Alexis Saelemaekers and Davide Bartesaghi to cover both flanks. That leaves the squad thin in an area the coaching plan leans on heavily, and a signing before deadline is now close to a necessity.
Zalewski sits at the front of the queue. The Atalanta man can operate on either side, the two-footed profile Milan want, and he may find minutes hard to come by under Maurizio Sarri this season, which opens the door.
Gazzetta puts the price at around €15-20m, a figure within Milan's means, and his salary is described as manageable too. That combination of a reasonable fee and a wage the club can absorb is what pushes him ahead of the alternatives.
The Rossoneri have not stopped there. Lazio's Nuno Tavares has been linked, though there are doubts over his fitness and he cannot cover both flanks. Fiorentina's Dodô is another name in the frame, with his future uncertain and just one year left on his contract.
The appeal of Zalewski over those two is versatility. A wing-back who can switch sides gives Milan cover on both flanks with a single signing, rather than committing a fee to a player tied to one side of the pitch.
With the clock running down, the decision on which name to push for sits with Milan's management.