Former AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has spoken of first signing Andrea Pirlo.

Galliani signed the midfielder from Inter in 2001, as part of a complex series of transfers between the city rivals.

“Much of the credit goes to Tullio Tinti [Pirlo's agent]," Galliani told Tuttomercatoweb.

“I had gone to Turin for Pippo Inzaghi [then at Juventus]. It was a beautiful day, because in one day I also got Pirlo - two world champions. The day after it was all defined.

“Those were 10 incredible years, we were lucky enough to have him from the age of 22 to 32. In those years we were the best team in the world, ahead of Real Madrid.

“The greatest credit of all goes to Carlo Ancelotti who made Andrea a new playmaker. I remember we signed him as an alternative to [Manuel] Rui Costa."