Mark Hateley: 'Andy Carroll would be better at Milan'

Former AC Milan forward Mark Hateley has insisted that Andy Carroll would become a better striker if he were to move to the San Siro.

Pier Silvio, son of Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, has admitted his admiration for the former Newcastle United striker and says that he would love to have the 23-year-old at the club in the future.

Hateley moved to the Serie A outfit from Portsmouth when he was only 21, and believes that Carroll would benefit from making the switch.

"It would be a breath of fresh air for Andy Carroll. It would be great to go away and test himself in a new environment, a new culture and a different way of living," Hately told talkSPORT.

"Big strikers have always been a handful. It would be great for Andy and, when he's taken all that on board, it'll be great for England. At his age you're still very young and very raw. You're susceptible to taking on new projects and ideas.

"He's got great strengths in his game already but he still has a lot of weaknesses. [Milan] can deconstruct his game and build it back up again to the way a European centre-forward should be."

Carroll joined Liverpool for a British record fee of £35m in January 2011.