Torino’s sporting director has tipped Samuele Ricci to succeed under any coach at any club amid links with both AC Milan and Manchester City in recent days.
Ricci’s rise has been obvious over the past couple of seasons and he even recently earned a call-up to the Italian national team where he impressed under Luciano Spalletti.
Milan have been regularly linked with him, while Manchester City have become the latest side credited with interest after Rodri’s long-term ACL injury that will likely end his season early.
A year ago, it is believed that Torino were asking for €25m to sell their young talent, but that figure is closer to €40m now as per various reports.
Vagnati spoke to Sky (via MilanNews) and he was asked about the speculation surrounding Ricci and the idea that he is being admired by Pep Guardiola.
“I don’t want to talk about Manchester and not Manchester. I can say that I was pleased that you made [addressing Di Marzio] a bit of a transition of what was the purchase of Ricci, which we did when he was let’s say very young, because we bought him in January two years ago practically,” he said.
“So I have to say that it was a significant operation. The president believed in him, as we believed in him, because we spent a significant amount of money for what had been the player’s path up to that point.
“The boy was very good at believing in the work, he did a lot, he grew a lot from a physical-muscular point of view, from what his technical qualities are, his vision of the game, he already had them. He’s improved at that and I think he can play under any coach in any league.”
Milan and Man City? What’s with all these supposed stories. While City renain keen then Milan are not even in the race, we simply cannot and will not spend anywhere near the same amount on wages or transfer fee.
Not saying we should bankrupt the club, just being realistic. Totally different league of spending power. EPL clubs are just so much richer.