Paolo Maldini is clearly pleased with his signing of Theo Hernandez back in 2019 and he only has words of praise for the full-back. Soon, as he admitted, the Frenchman will likely surpass him goalscoring-wise.
Hernandez arrived in 2019 for just €20m from Real Madrid, and it was Maldini that decided to sign him. The director travelled to Ibizia where he met the Frenchman, convincing him to join the club despite the lack of sporting success at the time.
Since then, Hernandez has become one of the best left-backs in the world and Milan are back at the top of European football. Speaking to MilanTV, as cited by MilanNews, Maldini admitted that Theo will surpass him soon.
“If Theo plays just a third of the matches I played, he will surpass me. This is very clear, I was never much of a goalscorer. If he were to surpass me, I’d be happy, because I’d enjoy these goals as well.
“Theo is a very special full-back. He’s absolutely a full-back, but what he does isn’t done by anyone else, above all for his ability to finish, to assist and burst forward.
“In the first year, he seemed to be waiting for the 70th minute to make these sprints that have something incredible, especially if you consider that the finish or the assist comes after 70 meters of running with the ball at his feet,” he stated.
Hernandez currently has 22 goals after 140 appearances, whereas Maldini scored a total of 33 goals in 901 appearances.
Hernandez is currently at the World Cup with France but he isn’t expected to start the first game, per several outlets. He will surely be ready to make an impact off the bench, though, and perhaps he will earn himself a starting spot eventually.
One of Maldini’s best signings. Theo, Bennacer (if he renews), Tonali, Tomori, Maignan, Kalulu. These signings should be the core of Milan now and well into the future. He’s had some bad ones too but several gems.