New signing Nigel de Jong is proud to be an AC Milan player and excited about his future at the San Siro.
Dutchman hoping to contribute to Milan rebuilding process
New signing Nigel de Jong is proud to be an AC Milan player and excited about his future at the San Siro.
De Jong joined in a deadline day move from Manchester City and will add much needed experience to a Rossoneri midfield that has lost a number of iconic figures in recent seasons.
Shorn of the likes of Clarence Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso and Mark van Bommel in the summer as well as Andrea Pirlo a year earlier, Milan are a team in transition.
But the 27-year-old becomes the latest in a long line of his fellow Dutchmen to pull on the Milan shirt and he is happy to be with the Serie A giants.
"Coming here I have had a wonderful impression, even of the Milanello training complex," De Jong told
Sky Sports 24.
"All players would like to train here and I'm happy to have joined AC Milan.
Welcomed
"It was not easy, I arrived on deadline day, but the group has welcomed me very well and I am very happy of that.
"AC Milan is in a transition season because some of the best players were sold and many veterans are gone.
"We have a young team that should be rebuilt but I am proud to be part of this project and I want to contribute to future successes.
"Watching the AC Milan of the 80s and early 90s I dreamed of playing here."
De Jong is particularly looking forward to the Derby della Madonnina against Inter - and doing battle with his old friend Wesley Sneijder.
"He's one of my best friends. I've known him since we were kids," added the former Hamburg man.
"I talked a lot with him about the derby. I played that one between City and United but this is something else.
"I cannot wait to see the San Siro full for the event."
