Reports in the Italian media suggest that AC Milan are preparing a January move for Juventus outcast, Fabio Quagliarella, as a replacement for Antonio Cassano.

Cassano is ruled out of action for an indefinite period due to a heart problem and the striker will undergo an operation in the next few days. The former Sampdoria star has been the main stay of the Rossoneri team throughout the 2011/12 season and has played in each of his team’s league matches thus far.

Quagliarella joined Juventus from Napoli on a one-year loan deal in August 2010, and his stay at the Turin giants was made permanent in the summer transfer window.

However, the attacker has been unable to secure regular first-team football under new head coach Antonio Conte, and Juventus could be tempted to agree to a loan deal which runs until the end of the season.

While Milan have been faced with fitness problems to their star strikers, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Alexandre Pato and Cassano has shouldered the goal-scoring burden himself. Milan manager, Massimiliano Allegri, is looking to add a new striker in the January transfer window and Quagliarella is widely linked with the Italian Champions.

Quagliarella is desperate to return to action in order to impress the Italian national team manager, Cesare Prandelli, to earn a place for the Euro 2012. Prandelli is also desperate to find a new striker to replace Cassano.

However, the Bianconeri are not interested in selling Quagliarella, as they feel he still has a long-term future at the Juventus Stadium with players such as Alessandro Del Piero, Luca Toni and Amauri all believed to be on their way out of the club at the end of the current campaign.