AC Milan's general manager Adriano Galliani will fly to Madrid on Monday, where he is expected to hold talks with Carlo Ancelotti about returning to the Serie A club next season.
Although Galliani would not fully reveal what the purpose of his visit was, he did suggest that he was there for an Italian.
Ancelotti has been linked with a return to the club where he won two Champions League titles as, after concluding the season in second place behind Barcelona and losing in the semifinal of the Champions League to Juventus, the Italian is expected to lose his job.
Current Milan coach Filippo Inzaghi is also likely to be shown the door this summer, even though he has begged for a second chance. And, despite saying that he would take a sabbatical if he were to depart, the experienced Ancelotti is favourite to succeed him.
"I'm going to Madrid tomorrow, for an Italian," Galliani told Sky on Sunday night. "There are two clubs there with whom we have a great relationship and who have great players.
"I've not said I'm going for [Ancelotti]. Let's just see what happens. The important thing is we lift Milan back to their past levels because it's sad to see them in the league position they are currently in. This is what [president Silvio] Berlusconi wants and it is what I want too."
Ancelotti was in charge of Milan between 2001 and 2009 and while he may only have won the Serie A title once in those eight years, he led Milan to victory over Juventus in the 2003 Champions League final and over Liverpool in the 2007 edition, having lost in 2005 to the Reds in dramatic circumstances as they gave away a three-goal lead to eventually fall on penalties.
Milan will not be playing in Europe next season for a second year running as, with one game of the Serie A season remaining, the highest they can finish this term is ninth -- a drop of one position on 2013-14.