"AC Milan A Selling Club, Need Champions League Football To Retain Top Players": Ashley Westwood

The UEFA Champions League semi-finals are upon us, with Manchester City vs Real Madrid being the first contest in the last four and the Milan Derby between AC Milan and Inter the second. As the anticipation for the crucial showdowns builds, former English footballer and manager Ashely Westwood spoke to NDTV in a select media interaction on the semi-final battles. Giving his verdict on AC Milan, who are one of the most successful sides in the Champions League history, Westwood said that the Rossoneri have become a 'selling club'.

Question:Rafael Leao has been one of the most promising forwards in Europe this season. Still very young. How important do you think it is for Milan to hold on to him to consistently remain in the Champions League?

Ashely Westwood:The club knows where they are with regards to finances. He is 23. He does score a lot of goals. His speed puts teams on the back foot. Predominantly, AC Milan over the last few seasons have been a selling club. But they need to retain Champions League football if they are to keep hold of your best players. When the big clubs come calling, though AC Milan are a big club, it depends on the ambitions of the player, whether it's in Spain, Premier League, or the Bundesliga. It will be tough to keep hold of him. The way they finish in the Champions League may make his mind up. Hopefully, they go to the final and win it. Then, players could get emotional and they stay at the club.

Question:Olivier Giroud isn't spoken about among the top strikers in the world but if you look at his career achievements, they leave you in awe. Do you think he has been one of the most underrated players of his generation? And more importantly, a team man that every manager loves?

Ashley Westwood:I