Keisuke Honda: AC Milan move in final stages

Keisuke Honda believes a move to Milan is close to completion. (Getty Images)

Keisuke Honda has said that his long drawn-out transfer from CSKA Moscow to AC Milan is on the verge of completion, despite both clubs being adamant in public that no further negotiations would take place.

ESPN reported that Honda has already agreed personal terms for his transfer to the Italian side in January, when his CSKA contract expires.

Milan offered to bring the transfer forward to this summer but were rebuffed by CSKA.

Milan vice-president, Adriano Galliani, said on Sunday that the club would not improve the bid and as such considered the matter closed.

CSKA Moscow president, Yevgeny Giner, meanwhile, expressed his annoyance with the constant rumours and Milan’s conduct in trying to unsettle his player.

“We are not selling Honda to Milan,” he told Russia’s Sport Express. “Not for five million dollars or for ten. We are against selling our players to prestigious European clubs and there are plenty of examples which confirm this.

“We were open to consider an offer if it had been made by the club directly, but they decided to bypass CSKA and create a conflict between us and Honda. A certain ethic to negotiations should be respected.”

Honda, however, remains confident of a deal being agreed by the two clubs, telling Japanese newspaper Nikkan Sports that “negotiations are underway and they are in the final stages”.