AC Milan hardman Gennaro Gattuso could be the latest fruit of the Abu Dhabi revolution at Manchester City, with the Italian midfielder being strongly linked with a January move to Eastlands.

City boss Mark Hughes is keen to bring in some further grit and bite to his side amongst the flair players he brought in over the summer, and Gattuso’s tough tackling style would be well-suited to the Premier League.

The 31-year-old has been at the San Siro for a decade, winning a Scudetto and twice lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy with the Rossoneri, but he has failed to shine under new coach Leonardo this season.

He is no longer a first choice pick in the Brazilian’s starting XI, having struggled with a knee injury at the start of the season, and is keen to secure first-team football to boost his chances of playing in the World Cup.

Having experienced the British game during a season at Rangers, the midfield enforcer is said to favour a move to Eastlands, where he would stand a better chance of impressing Azzurri coach Marcello Lippi.

He is confident that his strained relationship with Leornardo will prompt the Milan boss to allow him to join the Citizens in a loan move in January, with a view to making the deal permanent after the World Cup.