Schalke midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has admitted that he would love to return to former side AC Milan one day.

The Ghanaian played for the Serie A club for three years before moving to Germany at the beginning of last season, and revealed that he still harbours a lot of affection for his one-time home.

“I’m still a big fan of Milan, everyone knows that,” he told Sky Italia.

“It was a wonderful experience for me and I’d love to return one day. In football, you never know.

“For me, Milan is still my home because I lived there for three years. I met my partner there, we have a son so it is as if it was my home.

Boateng also offered words of encouragement to new Milan boss Filippo Inzaghi and hoped that his former team-mate would be given the time to get the Rossoneri back into Europe.

"He needs plenty of luck and a lot of time. I wish him well,” he added.

“Hopefully they give him the right time to work because they have good players. I never want to see Europe without AC Milan, it is a strange thing. They have to stay at the top."

Boateng was sent home and suspended indefinitely from the Ghana national team alongside Sulley Muntari for allegedly verbally abusing coach James Kwesi Appiah, but insisted that his punishment was motivated by the row surrounding World Cup bonus payments.

“I have no quarrel with Sulley, indeed, Muntari defended me,” he said. “I think the coach just wanted to find an excuse.

“The real reason was the meeting with the leaders of the Federation, during which I asked in my speech about the payments given to us by Fifa.”