Saelemaekers: Milan gives goosebumps

Alexis Saelemaekers gets “goosebumps” at the thought of his Milan debut at San Siro and sees Zlatan Ibrahimovic as “an inspiration.”

The 20-year-old made the move on transfer deadline day from RSC Anderlecht on loan with obligation to buy for a total €7m plus bonuses.

“I believe this is a great club, every player dreams of playing for a club of this calibre and I’m delighted to be a part of this project,” he told Milan TV.

“It’s a great honour. I have always considered Milan to be a legendary club, one I dreamed of playing for. Having been brought here is a fantastic opportunity for me.

“My objectives are to do my best for this club every day, in training and in the game, proving to the team how determined I am to make a difference here.”

Belgian football writer Vincent Van Genechten gave us the lowdown on Saelemaekers, his strengths, weaknesses and how to pronounce his name.

There is one new teammate that Saelemaekers is particularly looking forward to meeting.

“I think Zlatan Ibrahimovic is an inspiration as a player and a person. His mentality and hunger to win are incredible. I really look up to him.

“I think playing at San Siro will be a beautiful moment for me. Just the thought of walking out on to the pitch at San Siro in front of all those fans gives me goosebumps.”