Berlusconi confident Pato will return

AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi is confident Alexandre Pato will return to the club in the future.

Prolific for AC Milan in the first three seasons after his 2007 transfer from Internacional, Pato struggled to establish himself in the club's starting 11 during the 2010/11 and 2011/12 campaigns due to a string of injuries.

Although the Brazilian has since made a full recovery, he found himself behind the likes of Stephan El Shaarawy, Giampaolo Pazzini, and Bojan in the pecking order for the current season. In hopes of securing regular first team football, Pato requested a move back to his home country.

Berlusconi told Antenna3 that the striker's recent 15 million Euro transfer to Corinthians was a deal carried out with his blessing, as he was certain the San Siro faithful had not seen the last of Pato.

"Pato will return to Milan in one or one-and-a-half years. His injuries distances him a bit from Milan, but I made a deal with him," Berlusconi revealed.

"He has gone to Corinthians, but he will come back here in the not too distant future. That's what he promised when he hugged me one last time before leaving."

Meanwhile, the team's goal-scoring responsibilities will fall largely on the shoulders of in-form hit-man El Shaarawy, a player the Milan president hoped would become a club icon.

"We have been lucky to meet a fantastic person and a true champion like Stephan," Berlusconi said.

'He already symbolises Milan and he can emulate people like Baresi and Maldini."
AC Milan travel to Sampdoria for their Serie A fixture this weekend.