MOSCOW, July 16 (R-Sport) – There is no way CSKA Moscow will sell midfielder Keisuke Honda to AC Milan for just 2 million euros ($2.6 million), the Russian champion team's general director, Roman Babaev, told R-Sport on Tuesday.
Talks between the two teams have been dragging on for weeks. A source close to negotiations has told R-Sport that Milan was offering between 1.5 and 2 million euros for the Japan international, whose contract expires in December.
“We’re pleased that Milan is negotiating, but Honda’s not going to be sold for 2 million,” Babaev said. “If Milan makes an offer that we think is acceptable, that means Honda will leave. If not, that means he could [leave] in January.”
Babaev refused to say what he would consider an acceptable fee.
Last month, Japanese media quoted Honda as saying his mission at CSKA was finished and he hoped to move to another team.
Honda has been training with the rest of the CSKA squad and starred with two goals as the Moscow side beat Zenit St. Petersburg 3-0 in the season-opening Super Cup on Saturday.
Honda joined CSKA from Dutch team Venlo in 2010 and helped the side to the league and cup double last season, adding those trophies to the Russian Cup he won in 2011.
He has 44 caps for Japan, scoring 15 goals, the last of which earned the team a spot at next year’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
