Fabio Capello has revealed his belief that signing Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus would complete the window for AC Milan.
The big news of the last 24 hours is that Ardon Jashari finally landed in Milan last night after a deal with Club Brugge was agreed on the basis of €34m as the fixed fee plus €3m in potential bonuses.
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Massimiliano Allegri will get the midfielder that he has wanted all along, just as Jashari will get his dream move. Now, attention can be turned to putting the finishing touches to the squad.
Zachary Athekame is believed to be joining from Young Boys before the end of the week in an operation worth just under €10m, but there are still question marks about the striker role.
Capello issues Vlahovic plea
Today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport has an interview with Fabio Capello, who commented on the Jashari signing and the centre-forward pursuit.
What do you think of Jashari’s arrival?
“I confess I’ve only seen him in the Champions League in the last year, too little to have, and above all, to give, absolute certainties. However, the boy seems good to me, potentially a top player in the role in the future. In short, a Milan-worthy signing, as I see it.”
Some fans fear the De Ketelaere effect with it being the same team, same league…
“Jashari seems to me to be made of a different kind, honestly. I’m not talking about talent, of course, but about character. That’s what they tell me, and even seeing him on the pitch, he gives the impression of someone who isn’t afraid of anything.
“The Belgian had never left Bruges, his hometown, before. Jashari, on the other hand, is Swiss with Albanian origins. Different situations. First of all, he’s already moved away from home once, when he went from Switzerland to Belgium last year.
“It means you’ve already had to prove yourself worthy in a place where you’re unknown, and he even won the league’s best player award, even doing well in the Champions League.
“Jashari seems to me to be the type who doesn’t hold back when it comes to showing off his talent or giving that little bit extra to win. He may be Swiss, but you can see the Balkan blood in his veins (laughs).”
You know a thing or two about players from those parts of the world, having coached many of them in your career…
“Boban, Savicevic, Suker, Mijatovic… It was a different kind of football, but in certain areas they don’t just have talent as a virtue. They are people who don’t accept defeat.
“And to today’s Milan, by adding Modric and Jashari on the pitch and Igli Tare in management, you have given a great boost of personality on and off the pitch.”
Jashari is the most expensive signing of Tare’s long managerial career so far…
“And this also makes me think it’s the right purchase. Igli is an experienced sporting director, he knows what it takes to do well at a club like Milan. If Tare chose Jashari, it’s because he saw not only an excellent player, but also a reliable man in every way.
“He’s not the type to leave anything to chance. And let’s not forget Massimiliano Allegri, who will certainly have approved the purchase.”
Are Milan now just missing a striker?
“Well, it’s first and foremost a question of numbers: the squad only has Gimenez, who, like many others in the team, has left some doubts in his first six months at Milan.
“Leao is a different story. There’s no doubt he’s a great talent, but he’s been too temperamental so far. Under Allegri, I expect him to be more consistent and decisive. The first signs are already there.
“Gimenez has shown something, but too little compared to the expense incurred by the club and everyone’s expectations upon his arrival. It must also be said that last year’s AC Milan team didn’t do very well, so Gimenez certainly has some mitigating factors as well.
“Even before the striker, Allegri is someone who knows how to win at the big clubs. After that, I’d say it’s easier to celebrate in May if you have a 20-goal striker than if you don’t.”
Is Vlahovic that 20-goal striker for this Milan?
“He’s already achieved that at Fiorentina, and in the last year with Max at Juventus, he wasn’t far off, despite some overall difficulties. Dusan is a penalty-box striker; he’s definitely capable of scoring goals if he regains his confidence and chances.
“He’d arrive in Milan with a desire to redeem himself and with less pressure. These aren’t just small details.”
Don Fabio right on point as usual. This Milan is already looking better than it was couple of years ago.
Capello is right. In this market Vlahovic is the right buy. I do think we have other capable attackers, Pulisic and Leao are also capable of sharing the goal scoring load. Okafor too.
I see similarities between Dembele role change at PSG an Leao. If Allegri can turn Leao into a goal scorer we may not need a new CF.
Jashari is Albanian?
Well it doesn’t really sound like a typical swiss name :). Should be a good combination for a strong character – probably a bit rougher childhood than his peers in Switzerland, but also learning the importance of discipline, rules, etc. Unless his parents are part of the Albanian mobs, but in that case he would have probably been a fan of Napoli.
Yea the name isn’t swiss at all I did some research and found out he is of Albanian ethnicity in North Macedonia I have some Albanian friends and they’re good and hard working people, his family immigrated to Switzerland so I doubt his family has mob connections
😀 astute comment RossoBG, the Albanian mob is crazy and even Albanian blood feuds to this day is absolutely bonkers, quite sad in fact.
Yea bro I read about them blood feuds that was crazy the kids dodn’t go outside of their houses at all
Bjol Exactly what i was thinking of, quite depressing that kids in present days should pay for parents sins or trangressions. Not many people knows of sh1t like that. as its hard to fathom things like that goes on to this day, very much as the sicilian or neapolitan mafia acts as well.
The literal main airport in Pristina, Kosovo is named Jashari. Hard to be more Albanian than him.
Minor takeaway from this is how Capello refers to de ketelare as “The Belgian” plus the undertone of whats unasaid is clear. He holds him in little regard, thinks he has a weak character and coming from a coach of his stature, it’s hard to argue that CDK can ever be a star in a team setup bigger than Atalanta, at least according to the great man himself. To be fair, maybe it’s nothing but unless he replicates his exploits from last season, maybe we were right in pulling the plug on that particular player when we did…
I hope Tare, who is also Albanian, got it right, otherwise the people will not like that….
Christos, I see the hiddne message there. As a Greek, why don’t you go ahead and say what you actually think. Tare being Albanian has gone for another Albanian instead of picking your favourite Greek Player who they could get for half a price.
Jashari works with Alegri and they know exactly what kind of midfielder they wanted. Thanks god they got it, and as Milanista I also do hope that he shows he is worth it. The fact is, no one knows, time will tell us.
You forgot the failed Xhaka attempt before Jashari, also Albanian.
It happens that I do know Xhaka personally very well and I speak to him. It is true he was approached but more so as an option, meaning high valeu for very little money. I knew from a get go that Xhaka would not settle for rotational role. It is unfortunate but that is the truth, olus Leverkusen wanted more then Milan was willing to pay, therefore Xhaka chose a club where is a main protagonist.
Rest assured that both of these players would add value, just happens that Xhaka is the history and Jashari the future, besides we got the better old guy with Modric
Can’t be any worse than CDK. And if he fails, Milan will sell him to Atalanta again.
Complete? Bruh we have 1 LB and no true RB…