Rumour: AC Milan set sights on Ashley Cole and John Obi Mikel

AC Milan are looking to bolster their squad ahead of next season by making a double transfer swoop for two Chelsea outcasts, with Ashley Cole and John Obi Mikel believed to be summer targets, Goal reported.

Milan have endured a difficult season and find themselves way off the pace in the title race, sitting in eighth place in the Serie A table and in serious danger of not having any European football to play next season, with Clarence Seedorf having failed to steady the ship after being appointed manager in January.

Mikel has also been linked with a £10million move to city rivals Inter Milan in the summer and is deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea after the arrival of Nemanja Matic in January and Seedorf has made him his number one target, should there be money left over from the attempts to sign Adil Rami and Adel Taarabt on permanent deals.

Seedorf is also aware that he is in desperate need of full-backs after having to use midfielders Kevin Constant and Urby Emanuelson at left-back for the majority of the season.

Cole is out of contract at the end of the season and it appears increasingly unlikely that he is to be offered fresh terms to stay at Stamford Bridge, after falling out of favour with Jose Mourinho, with Cesar Azpilicueta the preferred option on the left-hand side of the defence.

He has been heavily linked with a move to the MLS, but Milan still believe the 33-year-old has plenty to offer at the top level and hope they can tempt him to the San Siro to see out the remainder of his competitive career.