Alexandre Pato Refuses to Rule out AC Milan Return Amid Comeback Rumours

Former AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato has said he has offers to make a return to Italy's top flight and would never rule out a return to the Rossoneri. 

Now 29, Pato is currently playing for Tianjin Quanjian in the Chinese Super League, but he told Corriere dello Sport (h/t Football Italia):

"I've received some offers from Serie A teams and also from other European leagues.

"We'll see at the end of the year. I'm very happy that Leonardo and [Paolo] Maldini have returned to Milan, for them and also for the fans who needed people to be the face of Milan.

"I've spoken to Leo a few times, and of course there were some jokes about my possible return to Milan.

"Joking aside, though, I have a year on my contract here in China, and we'll see what happens. I receive so many comments every day from Milan fans on social media, from Italy and around the world."

Pato first arrived in Milan from Internacional in 2007, when he was 17. He spent six years at the San Siro and left in 2013 and has struggled to recapture the same prolific form he enjoyed in his younger years since then.

It was in Milan that Pato first announced himself to the world and was scoring double-digit goals in Serie A as a teenager. He ended his first season in Italy with nine goals in 18 games—a superb record for an 18-year-old, and he proceeded to score 48 goals over the next three seasons.

Pato enamoured himself with the club, and they recently celebrated the anniversary of one of his UEFA Champions League goals:

Faith in whether or not Pato could actually thrive at Milan or in any of Europe's bigger clubs may be low. Since leaving Milan five years ago, he's had forgettable spells at Chelsea and Villarreal, and his best scoring patches over recent years were back in his native Brazil. 

Perhaps the former Selecao star is due a resurgence, though, after rediscovering his lethal streak in China. Pato scored 15 times in his first 24 league outings for Tianjin, and he has 11 goals in 17 games this term.

Per the report, Pato also praised compatriot and Flamengo starlet Lucas Paqueta, who may be on the move to Milan and could become the latest in a long line of Brazilians to dazzle

Pato has enjoyed his time in China thus far, and Goal's Sacha Pisani reported earlier in 2018 that he likes being the star of the team:

Pato's most recent venture in Europe came via his 2016 transfer to Villarreal from Corinthians, when he scored six times in 24 games before leaving for China in January 2017.

The striker also recently posted a picture on his Instagram, which showed him shaking hands with former Milan president Silvio Berlusconi to encourage links between the two parties.

It's possible the makings of a rejuvenation were building in La Liga before he took his leave for a lucrative switch to the CSL, but it appears Serie A could offer one of its former popular players the chance to try again.