Milan make Mesbah move and recall duo

AC Milan have signed Algerian international left-back Djamel Mesbah from fellow Serie A club US Lecce while Alexander Merkel and Rodney Strasser have returned to San Siro after loan spells.

Mesbah joins the Rossoneri for an undisclosed fee having scored six goals in 81 league games for Lecce, with whom he won promotion to Serie A in 2010. The 27-year-old began his career in Switzerland with Servette FC but soon moved to FC Basel 1893 where he was a member of their 2005 title-winning squad. Two seasons at FC Aarau preceded a short stay at FC Luzern, from where he landed at Lecce at the start of the 2008/09 campaign.

Meanwhile, injuries to midfielders Gennaro Gattuso, Mathieu Flamini, Alberto Aquilani and Kevin-Prince Boateng have prompted Milan to bring back 19-year-old Merkel from Genoa CFC and recall Strasser, 21, after a loan stint with Lecce. Milan lie second in Serie A, one point behind leaders Juventus. They entertain Arsenal FC in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 on 15 February with the return leg taking place in London on 6 March.