AC Milan have moved a step closer to being taken over by Chinese investors after a second £85m fee was paid to current owner Silvio Berlusconi.
International media outlet Reuters reported that the Far East consortium, backed by Haixia Capital and businessman Yonghong Li, had now parted with around £167m in a bid to finally take up the reins of the Serie A club.
A source close to the deal is said to have told the news agency that the money was deposited in a holding company's bank account - an account held in the name of former Italy Prime Minister Berlusconi - ahead of a proposed closing of the deal on Tuesday.
However, the finalisation of the handover is now not expected to go through before March 3 after Haixia struggled to gain Chinese governmental approval to sanction the takeover on December 13.
Berlusconi had initially declared his intent to sell Milan back in August after spending the past 30 years in charge of I Rossoneri. The 80-year-old's company, Fininvest, told members of the press that a 'preliminary contract' had been agreed with a group of Chinese investors for the acquisition of a 99.93% stake in the club.
Han Li, a member of the consortium, was photographed shaking hands with Berlusconi in Sardinina on August 5.
The significance of the snap was revealed when Mr Li was found to be a representative of a management group called Sino-Europe Sports Investment Management Changxing Co, whose investors include namesake Yonghong Li and Haixia Capital.
Milan, which is said to be worth around £620m - a figure that includes the club's £180m debts - are now set to receive an influx of cast to the tune of about £300m over the next three seasons, should the deal be officially ratified.
The San Siro-based side will become the latest football club to find itself in the hands of Chinese owners. Serie A rivals Inter Milan, as well as the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa, ADO Den Haag and FC Sochaux have all been taken over by Chinese investors in recent seasons.
Read more from Tom Power by following him on twitter!
#SerieA: @acmilan's sale to Chinese investors pushed back by 3 monthshttps://t.co/CGf4skXNw3 pic.twitter.com/l6SbKRR57K