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Serie A

Milan coach Leonardo has acknowledged his squad is understrength and underperforming.

AC Milan have arrived in Munich on Tuesday to prepare for the next stage of their pre-season preparations.

The Rossoneri lost their last three friendlies on their tour of the United States, emphasising the need to strengthen their squad ahead of the forthcoming Serie A season.

And Leonardo will seek talks with general manager Adriano Galliani after sleeping off the jet-lag this evening to discuss his desire to make his side competitive next season.

"We still have the foundations of this squad which was successful for many years and if we can manage to add to this some youthful promise for the future, I think that is the right road to go down," he said.

"All of the players we have contacted or been interested in are young, and of course talented, and the idea of inserting these kind of players is one we have made with the future in mind."

Wolfsburg's 23-year-old striker Edin Dzeko had been Milan's number one target this summer but his club are not interested in negotiating a sale.

And Leonardo acknowledged the Bosnian striker would have been the ideal man for his side, particularly after club president Silvio Berlusconi earlier today revealed he would not be releasing any funds for players above the age of 23.

"I think it is normal that after such a successful cycle like ours, you have an idea of looking to the future," explained Leonardo.

"This squad is new. We have thought about him (Dzeko) from the very start of the summer because he is a player who has these characteristics.

"He is young and we don't only have him in mind for this year but also for the future.

"It was a transfer that we were not able to complete but that is our kind of idea."

Leonardo also confirmed the profile of the other new player he will be requesting from Galliani.

"I think the team needs to be strengthened with a striker and a winger, not only to have a player for those positions, but also to enlarge the squad," he said.

"I will talk to Adriano Galliani today about what we need and also about our squad."

Milan face Bayern Munich tomorrow night in their opening fixture of the Audi Cup, which will see them come up against either Manchester United or Boca Juniors on Thursday.

Since the players he wants are unlikely to arrive in time for these two games, the Brazilian is not setting his sights too high for this pre-season competition.

"Bayern started [pre-season] before us and are only a few days away from the start of their season," he said.

"We start with some problems in the middle of our preparations with this tour in America, which was not easy for us. It is not easy preparing when you have to play a game every two days.

"We are very, very, very, very tired, but we have got to deal with this situation and it is important to play against clubs of such a level and deal with it, psychologically too.

"Bayern are a bit better than us at the moment but they have got to cope with that situation."