AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has announced that he will step down at the conclusion of the 2012-13 season.

The Rossoneri CEO, who has served the club since 1986, has insisted that now is the ideal time to leave the San Siro.

"There is no problem, I am happy to stay at Milan but the time is right to move on," Galliani told reporters.

Galliani recently refuted claims that coach Massimiliano Allegri will be leaving San Siro after the club's good recent run.

"The poor start this season was not Allegri’s fault but was down to the work in progress."

The 68-year-old has been outspoken in his comments regarding the club's defence this term, has insisted that he only meant that they had to perform better at the back to pick up silverware.

"Our defence? I simply commented that in Italy the league title is not won by the team that scores most but rather by the team that concedes least," he continued.

"In the last two seasons between us and Inter and us and Juventus that is how it went. The best defence won the title – it wasn't meant as a slight on our defence."

The Rossoneri director is renowned for making high profile transfers to Milan at cut prices, such as Robinho from Manchester City, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Barcelona.

Galliani has most recently overseen the rejuvenation of Milan's squad, who added the enigmatic Mario Balotelli from Manchester City in the winter break.

"Balotelli is young and has all the right ingredients. Milan have had eight Ballon d’Or winners, let’s hope he’ll be the ninth.

I always thought Balotelli was a great player since he was at Inter, and we’ve managed to bring him back to Italy, usually it’s the other way round."

Next season? The change in our business structure will be complete. The change is in the best interests of the club in the difficult financial situation at this time."

During his 27 year tenure as CEO, Milan have won five European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles and eight Serie A titles.

surely this is an April fools joke.

Definitely April fools

Yup, I am sure its an april fools. Why would Galliani quit when he finally signed Balo?

The : D in his thread description kinda gives it away.Could've done better Forza

Surag wrote:The : D in his thread description kinda gives it away.Could've done better Forza

This, though it didn't help that I had logged on purely to see what sort of April Fools posts were going to be in the General section.

dostoevsky wrote:

Surag wrote:The : D in his thread description kinda gives it away.Could've done better Forza

This, though it didn't help that I had logged on purely to see what sort of April Fools posts were going to be in the General section.

I can imagine you were disappointed.

GL needs to raise its game

dostoevsky wrote:GL needs to raise its game

Wait for tomorrow, when it's 1st of April in USA.

I think most on GL are too savvy to fall for anything.

If that were true then Gil's bait threads wouldn't work.

Fell for it

Same.

good one

Looks like the spider just caught a couple of flies.

I wanted to make a 'Tribute to Galliani' thread after reading the OP

Zlatan wrote:I wanted to make a 'Tribute to Galliani' thread after reading the OP  

Now is the time.

Soooo many players/managers including 'club legends' switch between 'rivals' in italy it's not too far fetched for galliani to join the nerazzurri. Milan-Inter isn't Lazio-Roma.

Inter fans usually hate more Juventus than Milan but the rivalry with other Milan 's club is very much felt however.
but that is not the point
we aren't talking about a normal player ,  but about a  AC Milan symbol for 27 years.

Galliani simply was the AC Milan, even more than Berlusconi.
if you were fan  of Inter or Milan you understood how much is impossible this thing (  and he is hated by Inter fans )

anyway for Laudisa ( Gazzetta dello sport's journalist  close to the events of the Milanesi teams)
Carlo Laudisa ‏@carlolaudisa 3h
New deal #Milan. #Galliani resta in sella con Barbara: patto pluriennale con la benedizione di Silvio #Berlusconi #gds
(translated : New Deal Milan - Galliani remains wtih Barbara: multi-year pact with the blessing of Silvio  Berlusconi )

it seems a soap opera .
what will be next plot twist?