Huntelaar and Flamini staying at San Siro

February 1, 2010

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Mathieu Flamini will not be leaving Milan during the winter transfer window.

Dutch striker Huntelaar had been widely tipped to leave the San Siro after limited opportunities which has seen him make only 12 appearances and scoring three goals since his summer move from Real Madrid.

But the striker has stated that he will remain with the Serie A side despite interest from Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal.

He said: “I have decided to remain at Milan because there are so many people here with whom I have built a great rapport. And I am happy in this club.”

Former Arsenal midfielder Flamini, identified as a target by Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, has also indicated he will be staying in Milan.

“There are so many clubs that have shown an interest in my services,” the 25-year-old told the club’s official website.

“But for the time being, I am happy here.”

Tags: arsenal, city boss, everton liverpool, klaas jan huntelaar, manchester city, Mathieu Flamini, Milan, real madrid, roberto mancini, San, san siro, staying in milan, striker, target, tottenham

Premier League clubs join Huntelaar pursuit

January 23, 2010

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s agent, Arnold Oosterveer, has revealed that Premier League clubs are keen on signing the Milan striker, amid reports Everton have opened talks with Serie A giants.

The Dutch international has expressed a wish to leave the San Siro on loan in order to boost his prospects of securing a spot in his country’s World Cup squad as he has struggled to make an impact at Milan.

Huntelaar arrived at San Siro from Real Madrid last summer and is now being linked with a move to England.

West Ham United are reported to have turned to the former Ajax ace after failing to persuade his compatriot Ruud van Nistelrooy to move to Upton Park from Real.

However, reports in Holland claim that Everton are ready to open talks with Milan regarding a deal to take Huntelaar to Goodison Park for the rest of the season.

Oosterveer did not wish to name the clubs keen on the 26-year-old, but acknowledged there is English interest in the forward.

“It is right that there are several English clubs interested in the player,” Oosterveer told De Telegraaf.

“For the respect of the club I don’t want to mention any names.”

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Huntelaar set to leave Milan

January 19, 2010

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar hopes to leave AC Milan during January’s transfer window. The Dutch striker was told several times that the club wants to keep him at Milan and he got playing time against Genoa and Juventus.

But that’s not enough for Huntelaar: the former Real Madrid forward has told his agent to look for another club.

“They told me this month that they insisted on keeping me at Milan and that they have much confidence in me,” Huntelaar told Dutch paper De Telegraaf.

“Since then I moved up in the pecking order from third striker to second striker. I also got more match action but it’s still not enough for me. I simply want more.”

Now, it seems like Milan is also convinced that an exit from the San Siro is the best solution for both.

“It looks like the club only wants to sell me but I prefer a move on loan because I still want to succeed at Milan,” said Huntelaar who has rejected a move to Shakhtar Donetsk, because he doesn’t want to play in Ukrain.

Huntelaar also excluded a return to Ajax. “I already spoke German and English and my Spanish and Italian is also pretty good. I prefer a move to one of the big four leagues,” added ‘The Hunter’ who said that there have already been six clubs that contacted his agent about a possible move.

Huntelaar joined Milan from Real Madrid this summer for €15 million. He failed to make an impact for the Rossoneri and has been warming the bench most of the time. Milan boss Leonardo prefers Marco Borriello at the striker position.

Tags: Ajax, bench, best solution, Borriello, de telegraaf, donetsk, dutch paper, genoa, juventus, klaas jan huntelaar, leonardo, MADRID, Marco Borriello, match, Milan, pecking order, playing time, real madrid, rossoneri, San, several times, striker

Beckham: No hard feelings over third penalty incident

January 7, 2010

Beckham insisted there were no hard feelings with his Milan team-mates after being denied the chance to score. Beckham had taken the ball when Milan were awarded a third penalty.

However, Ronaldinho, who had scored the first penalty and missed the second, took the ball off him before captain Massimo Ambrosini gave it to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who put the ball in the net.

And the England midfielder has quickly moved to play down any suggestions of a disagreement with his team-mates, insisting that it is best when the penalty taker always takes the spot kicks.

“No, I didn’t desperately want to take it,” he said.

“To be honest, I think it’s always important that the penalty taker always takes the penalties and that’s why I gave the ball back to Ronaldinho.

“I think that’s always the way it should be, but then he gave it to Klaas and he took it, but it’s not important.”

Milan went on to win the game against Genoa with a heavy 5-2 final scoreline.

Tags: disagreement, England, game, genoa, Jan Huntelaar, klaas, klaas jan huntelaar, massimo ambrosini, midfielder, Milan, milan team, no hard feelings, ronaldinho, scoreline, team mates

Pato supports Huntelaar: “I had a tough start too”

November 18, 2009

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has struggled to make an impact at AC Milan in his first year with the club but the Rossoneri remain confident that the Dutchman will prove his worth. Just like his coach Leonardo and his teammate Clarence Seedorf, Alexandro Pato backs the Dutch hitman. “I’m sure he will give much to Milan,” the Brazilian said.

Huntelaar is regarded fourth choice for the forward positions at the San Siro behind the likes of Pato, Ronaldinho and Filippo Inzaghi. The Italian media have seen enough and already labelled the 26-year-old striker as a failure but Pato continues to support Huntelaar.

“I had a hard time too, when I just arrived here,” Pato said on the club’s official website. “I found it difficult to speak Italian and off the field I could not communicate with others, I was afraid to make mistakes.

“Everyone saw that he was the best player in Holland and scored plenty of goals when he played for Ajax, has done well at Real Madrid and I am sure that even here he manages to make his contribution to Milan.”

Paul Haring

Tags: ac milan, Ajax, alexandro pato, best player, clarence seedorf, dutchman, filippo inzaghi, forward positions, hard time, hitman, Holland, italian media, klaas jan huntelaar, leonardo, real madrid, ronaldinho, rossoneri, san siro, striker, teammate

Dzeko: “Next year i’ll play for Milan”

November 17, 2009

VfL Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko expects to play for AC Milan next season. The Bosnia-Herzegovina international has already informed his German club.

“I recently spoke to Wolfsburg executives about it and they know that I would like a transfer next summer,” Dzeko told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “The story with AC Milan is not over.”

The 23-year-old, who is currently on international duty with Bosnia, was Milan’s No 1 transfer target last summer but Wolfsburg blocked the transfer claiming they didn’t need the money.

Milan eventually signed Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, but the Dutchman hasn’t impressed at San Siro, making the Rossoneri consider another offer for Dzeko.

Dzeko is under contract with Wolfsburg until June 2013, but assured the Italian sports paper he has no doubts about a future move to the Serie A. “I have been a fan of Milan since I was a child, when I watched their games on TV. It’s for that reason that I really hope I can play next season there.”

Paul Haring

Tags: ac milan, games, gazzetta dello sport, german club, italian sports, klaas jan huntelaar, la gazzetta dello, la gazzetta dello sport, money, no doubts, sports paper, target

Huntelaar keen on Milan stay

November 16, 2009

Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has rejected a possible move to Tottenham Hotspur by insisting he wants to stay with Serie A giants AC Milan.

The Dutchman has failed to find his best form following his move from Real Madrid over the summer.

The 26-year-old has been linked with a move to White Hart Lane, with Roman Pavlyuchenko moving in the opposite direction.

However, the former Ajax striker is not interested in move to the Premier League club, stating he is keen to stay with Milan.

“I want to stay at Milan,” he told Sky Sports Italia.

“I had my chances at the start of the season, but I was not good enough to take the most of them.”

Huntelaar has found himself behind the likes of Marco Borriello and Filippo Inzaghi in Leonardo’s pecking order, although he is up for the fight.

“There will be time to recuperate and I’m sure I will have my opportunity too,” he concluded.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: ac milan, Ajax, dutchman, filippo inzaghi, giants, Hart Lane, Hotspur, klaas jan, klaas jan huntelaar, leonardo, MADRID, Marco Borriello, Milan, pecking order, premier league, real madrid, Sky Sports, striker, white hart lane

Dzeko’s Milan dream still alive

November 10, 2009

Following Kaka’s sale to Real Madrid, Edin Dzeko was considered AC Milan’s No 1 transfer target this summer. However, VFL Wolfsburg didin’t want to sell their star and blocked a move to the San Siro for their top striker. The Bosnian international now reiterates his dream of playing for Milan.

Dzeko said in an interview with FIFA.com he has a soft spot for the Rossoneri. Asked which team he would like to join at some stage in the future he replied: “I’m a big Milan fan,it’s always been my goal to play for a big club at some point.”

Dzeko could be a possible replacement for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The Dutch striker has failed to hit the net since joining from Real Madrid and has rarely received any playing time recently. Huntelaar has been linked with several Premier League clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Liverpool and Birmingham City.

Paul Haring

Tags: ac milan, birmingham city, bosnian, edin dzeko, klaas jan, klaas jan huntelaar, Liverpool, liverpool and birmingham, Manchester, manchester united, Milan, milan fan, Paul Haring, playing time, premier league, premier league clubs, real madrid, rossoneri, San, san siro, soft spot, target, tottenham hotspur

Leonardo pleads for patience

September 28, 2009

Serie A giants AC Milan’s coach Leonardo has appealed to Rossoneri supporters not to give up on his struggling outfit.

The sale of Kaka to Real Madrid and the departure of coach Carlo Ancelotti to Chelsea has been followed by a woeful start to the season, with Sunday’s goalless home draw against newly-promoted Bari leaving Milan 11th in the standings.

Just 34,000 fans turned up at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium to watch Milan on Sunday and many booed at the end of the game.

“We are struggling psychologically although our team has the experience to react,” Leonardo said.

“We hope that more fans can turn up to the stadium, the team needs their support.”

The result against Bari capped a frustrating week for Leonardo.

It followed the Rossoneri’s 1-0 defeat at Udinese in midweek and left them seven points behind league leaders Sampdoria.

“Bari played very well,” Leonardo said. “We struggled against them and in the end the boos, just like the applause, are also deserved.

“We risked losing this game so we have to be relieved to have claimed a point.”

Milan’s hero was their goalkeeper, Marco Storari, who denied Bari on several occasions.

The biggest problem for Leonardo’s squad has been its inability to score.

They have managed just one goal in their last five league games.

Top summer signing Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Ronaldinho have yet to score this season.

“We are really struggling to create chances,” Leonardo said. “It is normal that the fans expect us to get a result at the San Siro.”

Milan host FC Zurich on Wednesday in the Champions League and travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta on Sunday.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: ac milan, atalanta, Bari, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, fc zurich, giuseppe meazza, giuseppe meazza stadium, Goalkeeper, kaka, klaas jan huntelaar, league games, league leaders, leonardo, MADRID, Marco Storari, midweek, rajput, real madrid, ronaldinho, San, san siro milan, seven points, storari, udinese, ZURICH

Should Leonardo listen to Berlusconi about Ronaldinho?

September 8, 2009

After putting Leonardo in charge of AC Milan, owner Silvio Berlusconi has been trying to help the novice coach get to grips with the job with advice on how to tease the best from Ronaldinho.

The Italian premier, who has again denied he is considering selling a stake in the club, thinks Ronaldinho can be Milan’s “Usain Bolt” and fill the gap left by his Brazilian compatriot Kaka if he is used as a second striker rather than an playmaker.

Although Berlusconi has been careful with his transfer spending, and Milan could struggle again this term judging by the 4-0 derby hammering by Inter, he knows a thing or two about soccer and might have a point about Ronaldinho.

Leonardo is using his fellow Brazilian in the hole behind two strikers, probably his best position if he were in peak condition as it exploits his ability to conjure up chances for others and gives him room for his individual charges towards goal.

But he has not looked 100 percent fit for some time, so those wonderful runs are thin on the ground and the midfielders are having to do overtime because he does not chase back.

Using Ronaldinho as a striker might restore the team’s balance and lower the physical demands on him, simply because he would be nearer to goal and have less galloping to do. Being closer to the danger zone could lead to more goals too, which would bolster his fragile confidence.

Leonardo could pair him with powerful centre forward Marco Borriello or a goal poacher such as Filippo Inzaghi or Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Alternatively he could make up a front line with in-form Alexandre Pato — a partnership that would be potentially unmarkable.

The advice might be good but if Leonardo takes it, he risks looking like the owner’s puppet. So next time Berlusconi has some tips, he might be better whispering into his coach’s ear instead of yelling them via the media.

PHOTO: AC Milan’s coach Leonardo (R) walks with Ronaldinho at a practice session before their World Football Challenge match against Inter Milan on Sunday in Foxborough, Massachusetts July 25, 2009. REUTERS/Adam Hunger

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