Koni De Winter described his move to AC Milan as a "dream" after completing his switch to the Serie A giants from Genoa on Wednesday. 

De Winter, who has put pen to paper on a five-year deal with Milan, arrives at the Rossoneri for a reported €18m plus a further €2m in performance-related add-ons. 

The 23-year-old defender becomes Milan's fourth new signing ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, and reunites with Massimiliano Allegri at the San Siro this season. 

De Winter can operate at centre-back or right-back and impressed for a Genoa side that finished 13th in Serie A last season. 

He won 76 aerial duels last in the top-flight in 2024-25, a total only bettered by Andrea Pinamonti (86), Johan Vasquez (94) and Morten Thorsby (107) for Genoa. 

The Belgian international also offers a threat going forward, scoring three times in Serie A last season, the joint-second-highest tally for Genoa in the division. 

"I cannot describe my emotions, it doesn't seem real. It's really like a dream," De Winter told the official Milan YouTube Channel.

"I want to do well and gain more experience. Not everyone gets to wear this jersey, so I want to enjoy every moment of it."

De Winter is also reunited with former Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, who gave him the chance to make the step up from the youth squad to the senior team. 

"It was the coach who gave me my professional debut, so he'll always be a big figure for me," De Winter added.

"I have many memories of him. These were my first tastes of senior football, and I am happy to be working with him again."

Milan's domestic season starts this Sunday as they take on Bari in the first round of the Coppa Italia, before facing Cremonese in their Serie A opener on August 23.