Author: Liam

Albertini thinks the club needs to sign top players

Posted on by Liam

Former AC Milan midfielder Demetrio Albertini says that it is about time that the club considered signing top players in the market. He has said that players like Michael Essien and Philippe Mexes should be sold in the January in order to make way for Sami Khedira. Essien was brought from Chelsea on a free transfer last January, while former Roma star Philippe Mexes has struggled to live up to his billing in the last few years. Apart from costing money in the form of wages, these players are also not contributing enough on the pitch according to Albertini.

Sami Khedira has proven to be a top player in the last five years. He is widely believed to be on the verge of leaving Real Madrid on a free transfer. The World Cup winner has only a few months left on his contract and negotiations have hit an impasse. Even though a number of clubs are reportedly looking at Khedira, Albertini believes that the prospect of regular football at a prestigious club like Milan will make things easy for the Rossoneri. Milan only recently brought in players like Fernando Torres, which has significantly boosted the strength on the pitch.

It is rumoured that Madrid would consider selling Khedira in January rather than allow him to leave on a free transfer. “Milan could carry out a series of releases – naturally or immediately, because some big contracts are expiring – so that they could focus all of their economic power on this deal. Khedira would represent a serious and solid investment, capable of resolving most of the structural problems of a team that can and should still be considered a work in progress. He’s a true champion. He’s experienced and thus able to take on the important responsibilities of every position in midfield,” said Albertini.

Torres squashes rumors

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Former Chelsea striker Fernando Torres says that the rumours that he fell out with manager Jose Mourinho are completely untrue because he learned a lot from the Portuguese manager. Torres played for one season under Mourinho. During the last three years at Chelsea, the Spanish international has been playing under several managers like Roberto di Matteo, Andre Villas-Boas, Carlo Ancelotti, and Rafa Benitez. All of them have tried to revive his career at Stamford Bridge only to end up losing their jobs. Mourinho appears to have won the battle after signing Diego Costa in the summer to replace Torres.

Last season, Mourinho suggested on several occasions that he did not have a proper striker in the ranks and it seemed like an indirect criticism of Torres. The 30-year-old was one of the most feared strikers before his move to Chelsea. His record at Liverpool was imperious after having scored almost one goal per game. Even though he played only one season under Mourinho and won no major title, Torres says that he is extremely happy to have learnt a lot from him. Mourinho is regarded as one of the greatest managers in world football. He is the only manage to have one league title in four different countries.

“I had a professional relationship with him. I learned so much. When I told him that I was going to Milan he wished me good luck, and he told me about the passion for football that is here. I wish him all the best, as he has done with me,” said Torres after the move to Milan. “Fernando is an incredible champion. He has won everything there is possible to win. Fernando began his career in Madrid, and even then it was clear that he was something special,” said Milan Chief executive Adriano Galliani.

Milan May Bid For Arfa

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AC Milan might be placing a bid for Hatem Ben Arfa, the France international, very soon. The newly appointed Rossoneri manager, Filippo Inzaghi, is an admirer of the 27-year Old winger and he has had him on his radar.

Arfa is a part of Newcastle United at the moment having joined the club 4 years back after leaving Olympique Marseille. During his time with the Magpies, he’s played more than 70 league matches and has found the back of the net 13 times.

Towards the end of the previous season, Arfa had been made to sit on the bench quite often by Alan Pardew after which it had started getting speculated that the Frenchman might be sold in the summer and it seems now that those speculations are going to be proved right.

As per the reports of some of the TV channels, Arfa has been made aware by the Newcastle management that he is not going to get playing opportunities for the first team anymore.

Newcastle’s willingness to offload Arfa is believed to have alerted quite a few clubs one of which is Marseille. The Frenchman has played for Marseille for a couple of years in the past i.e. from 2008 to 2010.

It would be very difficult for Marseille to secure this deal though. They would perhaps be beaten by Milan on the financial front.

Arfa is one of those wingers who are predominantly left footed and thus, he provides a bit of variety in the offensive line. This might be one of the reasons why Milan is keen to have him. His form in the last couple of seasons has not been as good as it should have been, but, there is no doubt that he is a class player.