Samuele Ricci responded to a question about AC Milan’s need to replace Tijjani Reijnders’ goals from midfield, admitting he has ‘very different characteristics’.
Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!
On Friday, Milan officially announced that Ricci had finally signed for the club after years of links and negotiations, It was confirmed that he has been signed on a four year deal with an option for a fifth year that is in the club’s favour, and has taken the No.4 shirt.
We analysed what can Milan fans expect from the new midfield addition in our in-depth player profile. It is believed to be a €25m operation, with €23m being the fixed fee and the rest being add-ons.
Ricci gave his first press conference since joining the club at Casa Milan on Wednesday, and while a lot of the questions were rather light-hearted he get did quite a difficult one.
Isn’t the No.4 a bit too demanding? Without making comparisons, you’re coming into a midfield that’s lost Reijnders, who scored 10 goals [in the league last season]. Where do you go to get those goals back?
“It’s definitely a challenging number, especially in a team like this. It’s a number that many champions have worn, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s a number that reflects me, it’s who I am, how I carry myself and my way of being. It’s a challenging number, but I’ll do my best to prove I’m up to it; I care a lot.
“About goals… What can I say to you (laughs)? Tijjani and I have very different characteristics. You could say he had a great season, he’s considered one of the best midfielders in the world, but I’m me and I don’t like making comparisons. I might not be able to score 10 goals, but I’m here to give to the team.”