Witsel flattered by AC Milan link

The 23-year-old midfielder, who joined the Portuguese outfit from Standard Liege last year, is said to be of interest to the Rossoneri, as it looks to revamp the squad

Benfica star Axel Witsel has confessed that he is flattered by reports linking him with Serie A giant AC Milan.

The Belgium international has earned rave reviews since arriving at the Estadio da Luz last summer and his performances have attracted the interest of Europe's elite, with Real Madrid said to be particularly keen.

However, speculation is now rife that Milan has entered the race for the much-coveted midfielder and Witsel admits that he is honored by such talk.

"It's always nice to see one's name linked with important teams, especially Milan," the 23-year-old told Record. "It means that as a player I'm doing a good job; this is a very important thing."

Benfica is desperate to hold on to Witsel, who has been capped 27 times by his country, but sporting director Rui Costa has already conceded that the player is destined to move on sooner rather than later.