New AC Milan signing Mario Gila says he chose to join the club because they are "one of the strongest teams in the world".

The defender joined from Lazio, signing a five-year deal with the Rossoneri, with Milan reportedly paying €30m.

Milan have undergone a major overhaul since the end of the 2025-26 season, with Ruben Amorim coming in as head coach, while Goncalo Ramos has also joined in a club-record deal from Paris Saint-Germain.

They head into the new season looking to improve on last term’s fifth-place finish, with a late collapse seeing them miss out on a Champions League spot on the final day.

But Gila is convinced they can do big things in 2026-27.

"I chose Milan because it's one of the strongest teams in the world. The history it has and everything around it was exactly what I needed to reach a certain level," Gila told the club's website.

"We can do many great things, there are lots of objectives, and I promise to help the team by giving everything I have.

"It's a wonderful challenge for me. The coach's ideas and everything that Milan represents led me to choose the Rossoneri."

Gila made 120 appearances for Lazio, helping them reach the Coppa Italia final last term.

The Spaniard won the most tackles (68) among Lazio players over the last two Serie A seasons, while he also won the second-most duels (289) and recorded the third-most interceptions (53).

"I was very emotional about arriving at such an important club. These have been days full of positive emotions, and I'm very happy," he added.