According to reports in Italy, Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic has requested that the club allow him to leave in order to join AC Milan.

Both Corriere dello Sport and Gazetto dello Sport claim that Ivanovic told Peter Kenyon on Friday that he wants to leave.

Ivanovic has yet to make a first team appearance for the club, having arrived from Lokomotiv Moscow in January for a fee in the region of £9 million.

The papers report that AC will take Ivanovic on loan for £1.8 million with the option to complete the transfer for £7.5 million at the end of the season.

If Ivanovic leaves, he would leave Chelsea short of options in central defense, with Tal Ben Haim having already left the club for Manchester City.

Scolari could decide to give Michael Mancienne a place in the first team squad, and the defender does have some experience, having spent two seasons on loan at Queens Park Rangers in the Championship.