Agent Giuseppe Riso has revealed how close Carlos Tevez was to joining AC Milan, and explained why Sandro Tonali left.
Tevez and Tonali are players who are linked with sliding doors moments at Milan. The former was close to signing but the deal ultimately fell through, and Adriano Galliani was forced to turn to Maxi Lopez from Catania on loan at the end of the window.
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Meanwhile, the sale of the latter is still a painful one in the eyes of many. After being a hero in the 2021-22 Scudetto win and a key player in the Champions League semi-final run, the Rossoneri cashed in on Tonali, sending him to Newcastle in a big-money move.
Riso on Tonali, Tevez, Galliani and more
In an interview with Chapeau Project, renowned agent Giuseppe Riso shared his story regarding some of the deals and the figures linked to Milan. His words were relayed by MilanVibes.
How did you start in football?
“At the time, I was working at the post office and was a waiter at San Siro. One evening, they told me not to serve alcohol during the match. At a certain point, a lady came over and asked me for champagne. I said no, and all hell broke loose.
“She was Galliani’s assistant, and shortly afterward, the catering manager came over and said, ‘How dare you?’ From that moment on, he took a liking to me, and we started hanging around San Siro. One evening, he invited me to dinner in Milan.
“There were some important people there: Braida , Moggi, Galliani. With my first salary from the post office, I bought a suit. During the dinners, the agents of the time would come over, and I began to enter this world.”
You got to know Galliani well…
“I had in mind becoming CEO of the post office. On paper, it was the easiest path, then the catering manager offered me a job at Giannino, a well-known restaurant frequented by football players and managers, for €500 a month.
“I worked a lot, but the restaurant owner knew Galliani, and I started doing chores for him too. For example, when AC Milan was away for the Champions League, Galliani, returning to Italy at night, always wanted the day’s newspapers as soon as he got home.
“So, I’d go to the newsstand at 4am to get the papers and then go to Galliani’s house. He’d open the door and take them, but he didn’t even know who I was.”
What was the turning point in your agency career?
“During lunch at Giannino’s, Galliani asked me, ‘Excuse me, but who are you?’ We started talking at the table with an agent, and I thought this was my chance. So I blurted out, ‘This guy isn’t a great player in my opinion’.
“For the rest of the lunch, Galliani didn’t speak to me. Over the following weeks, however, we started talking more and more, until one day, during a Milan Primavera match, he saw me at the stadium and asked if I wanted to sit next to him.
“Talking to him at the stadium was a chance to show off my skills, so I went to Cristante and Petagna [who were playing for the Milan Primavera team at the time] and suggested they both become my clients.”
And that 2007 Champions League party…
“When we got back to Italy after the final, we were having a party in Varese. Driving home at night, Galliani told me to keep the trophy and bring it to Forte dei Marmi the next day. Basically, I had my friends at home with the Champions League. My father thought I’d stolen it.”
What role did Mino Raiola have in your career?
“Raiola told me that to do this job, I had to argue with Galliani, otherwise he wouldn’t respect me in negotiations. A few months later, I wanted to sell Cristante to Benfica, but he didn’t want to, and we argued. His sister made peace with us and put us back in touch.”
Could Tevez have joined Milan?
“Galliani told me he wanted to bring Tevez to Milan. So I started looking for a way to contact his agent. I went to London, and his agent sent a driver to take me to his office.
“In the meeting, we talked about Milan, and I was able to see the negotiations up close. The intention was to sell Pato to PSG and get Tevez. Galliani had prepared all the documents but decided to keep Pato.”
Why did Tonali move to Newcastle?
“Milan was going through a transition period. They had just changed ownership. I spoke to him and made him understand that the Premier League was a good option.”
You should never be allowed to set foot in “San Siro” again! Why this guy has so many space and chances to work directly against our club when it is so clear from all that has been done and written so far that he is nothing but an exploitative leech and a traitor, that’s beyond me.
Pretty sure that money to buy Tevez was used to bought Matri
Of course it was, actually, we bought matri instead of buying Eriksen that summer?! I know they don’t play in the same position but it’s the simillar amount, we paid matri 11 million and Tottenham got Eriksen for 14 million and both those transfers were realised on the exact same day. Imagine buying matri when you could’ve bought Tevez or Eriksen?! Bunch of i****s.
Matri was Tevez replacement, the 12 million they were asking for Tevez, it’s the same12 million they paid for Matri, all because Allegri wanted Matri. anyone in their right mind will know that Matri is, was and never will be a better striker than Tevez, but Allegri thought outherwise all because he like Matri.
Jokers………. at AC Milan
I know but they could have at least spend that money on Eriksen, that was a second mistake.
*could have spenT
Yeh I remember that too – has to be one of the Top 10 worst transfers in Milan history…
@ Xexy
“Why did Tonali move to Newcastle?
“Milan was going through a transition period. They had just changed ownership. I spoke to him and made him understand that the Premier League was a good option.”
The sun, the moon and the truth.
SempreMilan @SempreMilanCom
NEWCASTLE- TONALI BACKGROUND
VIA THE ATHLETIC
CONVINCED PLAYER FIRST, THEN MILAN
SENT DELEGATES TO ITALY AND ROMANIA
GOT GREEN LIGHT OFFER €70M AFTER €50M BID
WERE SURPRISED TONALI WAS OPEN TO MOVE
MILAN’S TRANSFER BUDGET HAS NOW TRIPLED
Ok loser. You’re arguing with yourself.