The agent of AC Milan defender Andrea Conti has left the ball firmly in the court of the club regarding a contract renewal for his client.
Stefano Pioli has struggled for consistency on the right side of his defence as both Davide Calabria and Andrea Conti have not found form week-in week-out, plus they have both been affected by suspensions and injuries.
Although the club continue to be linked with a number of right-back targets, there is still of course the hope that one of Conti or Calabria can recover their form, especially given the investment made on the former.
The former arrived from Atalanta in the summer of 2017 as part of the 12-player transfer campaign that the club’s Chinese ownership embarked on, though he has not yet hit the heights expected due to injury, even recently admitting he doesn’t know why the fans are so supportive.
Conti’s agent Mario Giuffredi spoke to MilanNews about the current situation surrounding his client, beginning with the news that he became a father in the past few days.
“His son was born, he spent four days in hospital with his partner. He is happy, he trains at home with the program that the club has given him, for what he can do, like all players,” Giuffredi saod.
“Conti’s season must be started not from summer, but from the arrival of Pioli. With Giampaolo he never played. His season starts from Pioli and reaches today. I believe it is the first true post-injury continuity period.
“Aside from the game with Genoa, a surreal match for everyone in which the team has not done well, I think he has made it clear that the player we all know is returning. Maybe he showed less in the offensive phase but there were improvements in the defensive phase because Pioli’s way of playing puts more attention on the defence. Next year we expect to see a 100% Conti, the player we know.”
On the subject of a possible renewal, he added: “I have not talked to anyone. The player is available to talk about it, he is fine with Milan.
“In the summer he will have only two years of contract left, I believe that a club should never reach the deadline, especially with a young player. If the club wants to talk about the renewal, we will be available, but we will not go to ask for it.
“We think next year is Conti’s year. He has recovered 100% and in recent months has found continuity. Next year he will be put in a position to fully express his potential. I repeat, we are not going to ask for any kind of contract. We are there if the club wants.”
