Berlusconi upbeat about Milan

The Italian giant lays claim to being the club with the most titles in the world, and Berlusconi is keen for the trophy cabinet to remain full.

He has, however, warned that Milan, like the rest of Serie A, will have to get used to spending less money.

The sales of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to Paris Saint-Germain have drawn the ire of supporters, with season ticket sales having slumped ahead of the 2012-2013 season.

Nevertheless, Berlusconi says there is no reason for the club's fans to be downbeat, despite a difficult financial climate.

"We have got to look at the AC Milan of the present, which I maintain is a strong team with a quintet of superstars up front which no other club is capable of match," he said.

"I believe we will be able to play another great season this year, even better than the last one when we were crippled by injuries.

"Our financial situation no longer allows us to spend like in the 90s or the first years of the new millennium - Italian football can no longer allow this, but this still means we will continue to win, creating a great squad and constructing strong youth systems.

"I would like to tell our fans: we have the opportunity to build an exciting and efficient Milan side even within a framework which does not permit crazy purchases."

Milan has been linked with moves for Manchester City's Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez, while a return of Kaka from Real Madrid has also been muted.

That transfer would go some way to appeasing the fans' frustrations, in addition to the announcement made after the sale of Silva and Ibrahimovic that anybody who no longer wanted a season ticket would be given a full refund.

However, Berlusconi wants fans to unite behind a long-term revolution at the club to enable it to become stronger.

"We have got to have courage and maybe also a bit of patience," he told his club's official website, www.acmilan.com

"It is going to be a change in view of the future and we will construct a squad of youngsters which will open up a new cycle.

"I am optimistic."

Berlusconi also explained the sale of his side's two best players last season was necessary from an economic viewpoint.

"It was impossible not to take the decision we took given what PSG offered," he explained.

"That has put the club's finances in order for many years.

"Sadly, time moves on for everybody and we have had to say a painful goodbye to 11 players, a decision imposed on us by the balance sheet.

"It was a painful choice, but a necessary one. We did not want to lose neither Thiago Silva nor Ibrahimovic, and effectively we turned down the first offer.

"But then we evaluated things, bearing in mind the financial fair play which comes into force next year and which would have prevented PSG from making this kind of an offer next year.

"With a bleeding heart, we had to accept this offer."