Milan Chairman Silvio Berlusconi is optimistic of signing Samuel Eto'o from Barcelona, but has given up hope of prising Ronaldinho away from the Catalan club.
When asked whether Cameroon international Eto'o was out of bounds in a TV interview on Monday, the former Italian premier replied: "We'll see - let's not put limits on providence".
Thierry Henry's move from Arsenal to the Camp Nou may make Barca more open to bids for Eto'o, pundits believe.
But Berlusconi admitted that Milan have no chance of landing the Brazil superstar:
"The chairman of Barcelona (Joan Laporta) told me that he would have to leave the country if he sold Ronaldinho. So I understand that he can't let him go".
The European champions are back in the market for a striker after losing a tug-of-war with cross-town rivals Inter for Cagliari's Honduran star David Suazo.
Milan reached an agreement with Cagliari to buy Suazo last week. The player had already agreed terms with Inter though and he insisted his move to the Serie A champs go ahead.
Berlusconi stressed that he is not desperate to buy a forward.
Milan have Italy strikers Alberto Gilardino and Filippo Inzaghi, he pointed out, as well as Ronaldo, who is no longer cup-tied in the Champions League.
"Milan are already the European champion team plus Ronaldo, who we expect a lot of," Berlusconi told SKY.
"We hope to find a great player who is up to Milan's standard and who is not considered off limits, as Ronaldinho is unfortunately".
Carlo Ancelotti insisted Milan are relaxed about finding a new striker too.
"We won the Champions League without Ronaldo and next year we'll have him. There are Inzaghi, Giardino and Oliveira too, so we are not desperate".
The coach said he understood Barca's reluctance to let Ronaldinho go, comparing it to Milan's desire to hang onto his Brazil team-mate Kaka, a Real Madrid transfer target.
On Monday Cagliari Chairman Massimo Cellino announced that speedy Italy striker Mauro Esposito will move to AS Roma next season.
He said that the Sardinian club will retain half of the player's registration.
Inter Milan have reportedly upped their offer for Roma's Cristian Chivu to 14 million euros in order to fend off Barca's competition for the Romanian defender.
