Journalist Franco Ordine has defended AC Milan for choosing to have a quiet January transfer window and has highlighted why the club are in a better financial situation that their rivals.
Milan have used the January window in recent years welcome the leadership of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the experience of Simon Kjaer, the exuberance of Alexis Saelemaekers and a champion for the project like Fikayo Tomori. Last month, only Lazetic arrived to replace Pietro Pellegri.
There were a lot of different links from Malick Thiaw of Schalke and Japhet Tanganga of Spurs, to Abdou Diallo of PSG and Eric Bailly of Manchester United, but eventually no substantial investment was made.
Ordine spoke during an interview with MilanNews and he offered some reflections on the Rossoneri’s January mercato during which only Marko Lazetic arrived from Red Star Belgrade, while Juventus added Vlahovic and Zakaria and Inter signed Gosens and Caicedo.
“Juve’s situation is this: in the meantime, they have a shareholder who can afford it. They were faced with the risk of losing a place in the Champions League. The second tooth that hurts is that of Inter: they moves as Berlusconi’s Milan once did,” he said.
“Do you remember when Boban was injured and Galliani went to Marseille to get Desailly? Inter did this with Gosens: Will Perisic leave at the end of the year? They take the substitute. Do they have Correa’s injury? They take the substitute, even if for a few games.
“Investing in debt must be done by those without money. Don’t think that Inter’s situation is flourishing. Inter has just renegotiated a 415 million euro bond, downgraded to B+ [credit rating]: with an interest rate of 6.75%. Translated: thirty million a year for five years.
“Before any other operation you have to pay this interest. In fact, Marotta says that to have players they have to sell. Don’t think that Inter will sign Scamacca and Frattesi without selling anyone. You can’t have everything from life.
“Elliott inherited enormous debts from the Chinese management, repaid sensational holes: they cannot be accused of short-handedness. Then when you see that there is the possibility of making the leap, there may be the risk of doing one more operation to have some excellent chance, but it is another key to understanding.
“I understand the mood of the fans but also Elliott’s business plan. Even if there was an afterthought at the last moment, otherwise I can’t explain the final attempt for Renato Sanches. The pressures of the squad had an effect, they returned to the office but they had to surrender. However, if Elliott had not intervened, AC Milan, that famous year, would have had difficulty registering for the Serie A season.”
Meanwhile, Ordine also had some interesting thoughts on the fact that Franck Kessie is not yet back at training with Milan despite rumours that he would be working with the rest of the squad on Monday.
“I’m not aggressive, I hope you understand. Here there is a problem of form and a problem of substance. The problem of form is this: Mr. Kessie, according to the official indications that the club had given us, had to arrive in Milan by Sunday evening and on Monday to show up at Milanello,” Ordine continued.
“Then they tell us he would arrive on Monday and not Sunday, due to logistical problems. Since Monday he has practically arrived today, and today he trained alone. He will train with the team tomorrow, Thursday and Friday: three days before the derby. I consider it unprofessional behaviour. They will tell me that I am ugly, dirty and bad: I defend my opinion.
“It’s a subject that would require a separate broadcast. Should we tell the truth in detail? In my opinion there is a protective attitude of the club towards Kessie, as they did last year with Donnarumma, taking advantage of the closed stadiums.
“The club have decided to protect Kessie until the end of the season, it is a legitimate and understandable reasoning, but it does not take into account the fact that a different shirt should be sewn on anyway, perhaps more convincing to this delay of Kessie.
“Now we will hear what the coach tells us on Friday, who is certainly on Kessie’s side. On the one hand you have to understand the club’s interest, on the other you have to understand that there are also other players who have to respect the rules.”
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