Lippi reveals he was ready to join AC Milan in January

Marcello Lippi was on the verge of taking over AC Milan in January, but the club's fine run of form to start the new year scuppered plans to bring in the 2006 World Cup winner, he revealed in an interview published Wednesday.

The 68-year-old said he held talks with Milan's hierarchy about replacing Sinisa Mihajlovic halfway through last season, when rumours of the Serbian's departure began to swirl. Mihajlovic was eventually fired in April in favour of Cristian Brocchi, who himself only lasted until the end of the campaign.

"The contact was at such a stage that I had already gathered all of the staff I work with at my home and told them to get ready," Lippi told Corriere Fiorentino, as translated by ESPN FC. "Then Milan beat Fiorentina 2-0 in their first game back after the winter break and went on a run of good results, and it all went up in smoke."

It was one of several times Milan tried to recruit Lippi, who has turned down the Rossoneri time and again. This time, though, he was ready to accept the position.

The former Juventus boss hasn't coached an Italian club since 2004, when he concluded his second and final stint with the Bianconeri. He also led Inter, Napoli, and Atalanta during a wide-ranging domestic career.

His most recent role came in China, as he guided Guangzhou Evergrande to the Chinese Super League and AFC Champions League titles during a successful tenure from 2012-14.

Lippi was one of the first high-profile foreign managers to test himself in the Far East in this new era of spending. Investment is at an all-time high in the CSL, which counts former international managers Sven-Goran Eriksson and Luiz Felipe Scolari among its ranks.

A return to China isn't out of the question. Lippi also had the chance to rejoin Italy's international setup as a technical director, but because his son Davide works as a football agent, he couldn't accept the role under Italian FA (FIGC) rules.

"Yes, it's true - I am thinking about going back," he added. "Up to a few weeks ago, things looked different with the pre-contractual agreement I had with the FIGC, and you all know how that ended.

"I had a good time in China - it was an exciting challenge."