Senderos deal should make Milan champions, says Galliani

The arrival of Arsenal centre-back Philippe Senderos has given Milan a championship-winning squad, chief executive Adriano Galliani has said.

The 23-year-old Swiss international was wrapping up a season-long loan deal yesterday after being allowed to leave the English Premier League club following their signing of Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre last week.

Senderos, at Arsenal since 2003, will miss Milan's Serie A opener at home to Bologna on Sunday but should be available to coach Carlo Ancelotti soon after.

"He has a little problem with his back but he has told me he will be ready in around 10 days," Galliani told reporters.

"I believe Ancelotti has to be happy with our recruits. It is a squad for the scudetto."

Milan, fifth in Serie A last term, were on the lookout for a new centre-back after a string of injuries and some poor defensive displays in pre-season.

They had targeted Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic but have settled for Senderos after letting defender Dario Simic join Monaco and loaning Kaka's brother Digao to Standard Liege.

Senderos has not always been a favourite with the Arsenal crowd but impressed Milan when helping the London club eliminate the Rossoneri in last season's Champions League last 16.

Senderos will be the second Arsenal player to join Milan in the transfer window following midfielder Mathieu Flamini's arrival.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said "congestion" at the centre of the defence prompted his decision to allow Senderos to leave.

"At the moment, Senderos does not get the games here, and so now he can play somewhere and remains in a top-level club. We want him to play without losing him."

Milan, who signed Barcelona's Ronaldinho in July, have also just brought back striker Andriy Shevchenko from a difficult two-year spell at Chelsea.

Media reports have said Chelsea are keen on Milan's Kaka but Galliani rejected speculation that a future transfer of the Brazilian playmaker formed part of the Shevchenko discussions.

"With Shevchenko we never, never talked about Kaka so fans should stay calm," Galliani told reporters. "We have said it again and again in the last two years (that he will not leave.)"

Galliani also said the club and defender Massimo Oddo were considering an offer from Olympique Lyon.