Emanuelson: Rossi & Kaka would make AC Milan a lot stronger

Aug 9, 2012 12:00:00 PM

The Dutch midfielder has welcomed the Rossoneri being linked with the Villarreal striker and Real Madrid playmaker, though Alessandro Matri remains their main forward target

EXCLUSIVE
By Alex Labidou

Urby Emanuelson has told Goal.com that he would be happy to see Giuseppe Rossi and Kaka arrive at AC Milan before the start of the new Serie A season, but Juventus' Alessandro Matri remains the club's number one target as they look to boost their forward line.

The Villarreal striker and Real Madrid playmaker were both seen chatting with the Rossoneri squad, who suffered a humiliating 5-1 friendly defeat to Real Madrid at the Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

And the Dutchman was enthusiastic about the idea of both players joining before the end of the summer transfer window.

"Yes, those guys are two great players," Emanuelson told Goal.com after the game in New York. "I think they will make the team a lot stronger. We will see what will happen.

"We still have three weeks for us to rebuild," he added. "We will see what happens. I think the club obviously wants to bring in some players, so we'll see."

The Rossoneri have been looking to make additions to their squad since selling Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Paris Saint-Germain for a combined fee of €63 million, and releasing a whole host of experienced stars whose contracts ended this summer.

The club have recently admitted that they hope to re-sign former trequartista Kaka from Real Madrid, while Villarreal striker Rossi, who could be available for as little as €8m, has also been linked with the club over the past week.

However, it is Matri on whom Milan are blazing the hottest trail, but they must wait for Juventus to make a decision on their own transfer moves up front before a resolution is found.

With the Bianconeri having seemingly given up on Napoli's Edinson Cavani and Chelsea's Fernando Torres, they now look set to make a move for Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente.

If Juve were to pick up the Spaniard, then they could well allow Matri leave for Milanello, though sporting director Giuseppe Marotta is said to want as much as €14m for the former Cagliari striker.

Meanwhile, Milan continue to carry a torch for Italy striker Mario Balotelli, and they are hoping that there may be scope for the capture of the Manchester City man in the winter transfer window in January.

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Champions League final - LIVE!

German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.

11:08 PM BST

Right, that's just about it from me, folks. Thank you so much for all your contributions. We hyped this one up. We said it was going to showcase everything that is great about German football. And you know what? It delivered. It was an absolutely absorbing final between the continent's top two sides, a fitting conclusion to what has been a fantastic tournament. Impossible not to feel so, so sorry for Dortmund but they need only to look at what Bayern have done tonight, lifting the trophy just 12 months after throwing it away, to see that it's possible to bounce back from this kind of devastation.

But Bayern deserve this. They've paid their dues and nobody can dispute that they are the best team in Europe. Bayern, we salute you. Over to everyone else now to try to come up with a way to beat this most wonderfully balanced of sides! But, until next season, good night - and good luck.

11:00 PM BST

Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has finally faced the press and, judging by his comments, is a tad upset with perhaps something other than the final scoreline.

"First and foremost, congratulations to Bayern Munich because they won so it's not important to speak about what happened in the game," he told ITV1. "After the game you have to respect the result and that's what we do now.

"I didn't see (Robben's) goal. It was a free-kick and we were not in the right formation at that moment. It was late in the game and it has been a really hard season for us. But Bayern Munich had to fight too. We deserved to be in the final and we showed this tonight."

10:56 PM BST

Sir Alex Ferguson also has a new job... Well, kind of. The former Manchester United boss was entrusted with the honour of presenting the man of the match award after the game and relished the task: "It's my first job since I retired and it's a pleasure!"

Robben humbly received his accolade before commenting: "I think it’s such a shame a world-class trainer is leaving the game." Quite.

10:51 PM BST

Heynckes, class act that he is, was also quick to empathise with a devastated Dortmund.

"I told their players: I know your disappointment after losing a final. I lost a final to Liverpool, too.

"During the first half we had trouble to get into the game. At half-time a adjusted our play. I think both teams felt pressure. If you see that you have a 25-point-lead in the league, it is normal you are the favourite. But after 30 minutes we freed ourselves.

"Over the past year, we improved and improved. We improved and modified so many details. I was stricter and I have to say that the players followed me and there is harmony in the dressing room."

10:48 PM BST

And finally we get to hear from Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes, who will be replaced by Pep Guardiola this summer.

The big news is, though, that he seems to have a job lined up for himself, which restores one's faith in our fickle game, given the man is now a two-time Champions League winner!

"The decision on what I will do after the DFB Pokal match (against Stuttgart next saturday) was already taken last June? Retire? No, you will learn that after the DFB Pokal final."

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