Arrigo Sacchi claims reported Milan target Zlatan Ibrahimovic is arguably a better player than Lionel Messi, but also warns of the need to integrate the striker into Sinisa Mihajlovic's side.
The Sweden international has just one year left on his contract at Paris Saint-German and has been heavily linked with a return to San Siro, where he featured between 2010 and 2012.
Sacchi backed Ibrahimovic to invigorate a Milan side that finished 10th in Serie A last term but expressed concern at his ability to work in a team.
"I am too friendly with [president Silvio] Berlusconi and [CEO Adrian] Galliani to say what I think of Milan in the transfer market," he told Rai Radio 2.
"Ibrahimovic is one of the greats. If football were an individual sport, I think he would even be superior to Messi.
"This is a great strength, but also a limitation if he cannot work in synergy with the others."
Following Filippo Inzaghi's exit, Milan have moved to secure the futures of Ignazio Abate and Nigel de Jong but have yet to freshen up their squad with big-name arrivals.
"We always talk about football as if it were a sport for individuals, but unfortunately for us it is not and therefore we must understand that what counts is the engine," he added.
"The engine is the style of football that does not come from the abilities of the individual, but from the game plan and hard work."
