MILAN (AFP) – Juventus striker Alessandro Matri officially signed for AC Mil an on Friday as the Rossoneri confirmed that talks with CSKA Moscow to buy Japanese playmaker Keisuke Honda were “ongoing”.
Club CEO Adriano Galliani compared the signing of Matri to that of prolific striker Filippo Inzaghi.
“It reminds me of when we signed Inzaghi in 2001, I hope Alessandro can follow in his footsteps,” Galliani told reporters.
Matri, who failed to cement a regular starting place in Antonio Conte’s Juve side, was deemed surplus to requirements in Turin following the signings of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente.
However, with Milan striker Giampaolo Pazzini still recovering from knee surgery and the Rossoneri now qualified for the group stage of the Champions League, coach Massimiliano Allegri stepped up his bid to bring an extra striker on board.
A brief statement on Milan’s website, www.acmilan.com, on Friday confirmed the 29-year-old’s arrival.
“A.C. Milan announce the signing of Alessandro Matri from Juventus Football Club,” the statement read.
Matri said: “It’s a great feeling to come back to where you played as a boy. I know a lot of people here and the coach (Massimiliano Allegri) is someone I’ve worked with.
“I spoke to Allegri yesterday and it’s up to me to get a place in the starting line-up, but I’m ready to play. There was some interest from other clubs but as soon as Milan came in for me, I only wanted to come here.”
Neither club has put a price on the transfer although reports suggest Milan will pay 11 million euros ($14.5m) for the striker on what was a busy day for the club owned by Silvio Berlusconi.
Milan sold attacking midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng to Schalke 04 for a reported 12 million euros, theoretically paving the way for the return to the club from Real Madrid of Kaka, who spent six successful seasons with Milan, scoring 70 goals in 193 appareances between 2003 and 2009.
Galliani, however, confirmed reports that Milan are still pursuing Keisuke Honda of CSKA Moscow and said the Japanese international’s arrival could be more likely.
He said talks with CSKA were “ongoing” and that luring Kaka would be “more difficult”. “It’s one or the other,” said Galliani.
Kaka has never really settled in Madrid and remains unhappy despite his former Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti now being in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Brazilian — who has one eye on securing a place in the national team ahead of Brazil’s hosting of the 2014 World Cup — issued a come and get me plea on Thursday.
“It would be better for me and the club that I leave. My father is currently talking to Real, we’ll see if we can come to an agreement before Monday.”
Juventus coach Conte, meanwhile, said Matri’s sale came as a surprise and would weaken the club further following Emanuele Giaccherini’s departure to Sunderland.
“His transfer wasn’t expected, neither was that of Giaccherini, and it weakens us as a squad while strengthening Milan,” said Conte.
“Now I have even more reason to tell the people who believe that we are miles ahead of other teams to calm down.”
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