Trump, who is also a leading Republican candidate for next year's US presidential elections, made the comments while talking with Italy's Radio 24 at the US Open in New York.

“I do like Berlusconi – he's a nice man,” he told the show's presenter, Mario Platero, adding that he “loved Italy”.

In his bid to become US President, Trump has drawn comparisons to Berlusconi from political commentators on both sides of the Atlantic.

Writing in The New York Times in July, Frank Bruni called attention to the uncanny resemblance of the two businessmen, who he argued are very similar in terms of their wealth, vanity and love of women.

When asked if he felt like the new Berlusconi, Trump responded: “Well, we're going to see what happens.”

And should he find himself in the White House next November, the comparisons will no doubt be inevitable.