Fiorentina general manager Pantaleo Corvino has told AC Milan they must meet their demands for Nikola Kalinic within 10 days, or they can forget about signing him.
The Rossoneri are lining the striker up as their eighth new signing this summer, but first they must convince the Viola to sell, and that is not going to be easy since they expected to earn €45 million by selling him to China in January, only for that move to fall through.
Milan are not willing to spend that much on the 29-year-old, who has scored 34 goals in 84 appearances, but Fiorentina do not want to earn less than half of that amount either, which is the figure Milan are reported to be offering.
At the same time, Corvino has made it clear that he only wants players who are committed to the cause, and therefore does not want the issue to drag on for much longer, leading to him giving the Rossoneri an ultimatum.
"Either we get the money in the next 10 days, or he is staying," he said.
His teammate Federico Bernardeschi can see why Milan are showing an interest.
"He's a freak of nature," he said. "I've heard that Milan want him and if it's true, they would be right to want him."
The Fiorentina attacking midfielder's own future is equally uncertain after he talked up reported interest from Juventus, but said no deal is in place.
"I think I will be going to preseason with Fiorentina," he said. "I don't know [about Juve]. I'm relaxed; I'm in no rush. I always felt that everybody should just focus on their own job and I have done mine, which was to try to play well.
"Now it is up to my agent and the clubs, I won't be getting involved. Like I say, I'm relaxed and am in no rush, but who wouldn't like to play for Juventus? Let's just say it's a bit of a strange period [for Fiorentina]."
Fiorentina have already lost captain Gonzalo Rodriguez, Josip Ilicic, Borja Valero and Cristian Tello this summer.