No deal will be made with Aston Villa for Pepe Reina until AC Milan have found another goalkeeper, according to the player's agent.
Villa are looking to bring in the 37-year-old on a short term contract with the option of a further year.
Dean Smith is desperate for cover in goal after No 1 Tom Heaton sustained a season-ending injury playing against former club Burnley, as previously revealed by Sportsmail.
Sportsmail understands a deal is in place with Reina until the end of the season with a further 12 month option triggered if Villa avoid relegation.
After their 1-1 draw at Leicester on Wednesday, Smith said: 'We're looking at goalkeepers but whether we're close or not, I don't know. I've been at the game so I've left that to our sporting director at the moment.'
Former Liverpool stopper Reina has played 13 games since joining AC Milan in 2018, but has served mainly as back-up to young No 1 Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Villa have so far signed Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater on a six-month loan deal.
However, they were dealt a further blow with striker Wesley suffering his own injury setback.
They are pursuing Reina's Milan team-mate Krzysztof Piatek to fill that gap in their strikeforce but would prefer a loan deal rather than stumping up the £30million fee requested by his club.