Igli Tare had some individual chats with players at Milanello earlier in the week, and two names stand out above all.
It was reported by Sky on Wednesday that the sporting director had taken more of an active role in proceedings during training. In particular, they mentioned that Tare spoke with Ardon Jashari and Christopher Nkunku, two big-money summer signings who have struggled recently.
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Milan’s plan explained
What could Tare’s discussions mean for Nkunku and Jashari? The two situations must be analysed in isolation and from two different perspectives, Calciomercato.com report.
The Frenchman arrived after a long search for a natural striker with certain characteristics and was chosen late in the window. His mould is different: a mobile second striker, skilled at dribbling, but also capable of making an impact in front of goal.
Milan paid Chelsea €38m (plus bonuses) to acquire the former RB Leipzig star outright, but his performance fell short of expectations for such a significant signing, at least in terms of numbers: five goals in 25 games (the last in February).
His poor start had raised suspicions among the Rossoneri before the January transfer window (which immediately followed his first brace against Hellas Verona) and they tried unsuccessfully to land him in Turkey.
The conversation with Tare could be explained in this light: Nkunku, at the right price, can generate a capital gain – albeit minimal, in all likelihood – and the next transfer window could bring an end to his time at the club after one year. This is especially the case given a revolution in attack is expected.
However, the situation is different for Jashari. The Swiss midfielder is certainly a question mark for Milan this season, but he is also the second-most expensive signing of the last summer mercato which means more was hoped for.
A serious injury at the start of the season certainly slowed him down and prevented him from finding the match rhythm needed to perform as he did at Club Brugge. The €37m plus bonuses spent so far haven’t yielded the expected returns, but the directors and Allegri are calm.
Given the well-known issues Jashari has faced (natural adaptation period, the injury, the burden of the transfer fee and the presence of Luka Modric ahead of him), Milan still believe the investment made in him is absolutely sound.
The Swiss is a versatile, talented and young player. Consistency will clearly be needed, but the club are confident that the ex-Luzern man can prove to be a key player. The conversation with Tare, therefore, could have served to instil confidence after a difficult start in Sassuolo.
It they paid a total of 40M for them maybe. In this case both were paid at least double than what they are worth. Since when is a player worth 40M if he needs 2 years to adapt to the league? If I remember correctly, Tonali, one of the biggest midfield talents in recent years cost Milan 20M. Both of these transfers were a joke.
I didn’t know that Tonali was playing in Belgium before joining us. Also had many more chances and wasn’t injured in his first seasons
So you want to tell me that players from Belgian league cost more than players that already play in Serie A? Can you share more of your intelligent input? It is really great to read. It’s like you are trying to prove my point. Are you that special? 😀
Yes, an promising player in serie A isnt worth nearly as much as the player of the year in Belgium (a known talent factory), in the eyes of the market. Tonali turned out to be an Italian gem, but a rare one.
Nkunku and Jasharis market values were both 35-40 mil euros when we bought them. The price wasnt out of hand. The problem with Nkunku was that he was the wrong profile for Allegris team so it was a stupid purchase for that reason, not the price itself.
Jashari was just unlucky with the injury at the start of the season (and Modric arrival).
If we can sell Nkunku for 32-34 mil this summer and make a small capital gain, it will show that the price wasnt the issue, it was his profile.
If Jashari gets to be injury free he might be great next season and double in value as Reijnders did. We will have to wait and see on that one.
Sure. Nice story. Too bad it is a bunch of nonsense. Italy is still the superior league and having experience in tougher leagues gives you more value. Some clubs in Belgium are farmers level. What you wrote is literal nonsense. If if. If successful clubs were lead like you described they wouldn’t be successful.
And Reijnders didn’t “double in value”, he also cost 20M€, not 40M€. He tripled in value while costing half the money and didn’t need 2 years to show he was worth it. That is the difference in the fee. If you pay more you expect the player to be ready sooner. That is part of the value of the player. If you pay for a talent that is going to be ready in a few years you don’t pay double the fee of Reijnders, Tonali or Ricci.
Nkunku is exactly the profile Max needed and Ardon was definitely overpaid by far, what the heck are you trying to prove? You’re evidently forcing it, there’s not a grain of truth (and sense) in this comment of yours and you should quit writing such things. Incredible…
Tonali had continuity and wasn’t stuck in the pecking order behind a Ballon D’Or winner. So he developed “quicker”.
Jashari was definitely overpaid for, but I hesitate to judge him quite yet. He won’t find much more playing time next season if Max and Modric stay, so they should loan him out for a season.
Nkunku though…. mystery.
It did take him a year to be fair, and he got more games. Plus we’ve always been on good terms with Brescia which made negotiations both more favourable, and meant the player didn’t miss half of pre-season.
Jashari has undoubtedly suffered from our lack of need to rotate for Europe this season. You’re certainly right – at 40m (a big outlay for us) we can’t wait forever, but I think he deserves another year.
Yes, and he cost 20M. So you paid 20M for a 20 year old talent that had almost 100 games as a starter in Italy, the same country where Milan is so he didn’t have to adapt to the country and language. It still took him a year. But a 3 year older player from Belgium is 40M. Bad transfer. I don’t think anyone paid that much deserves 2 seasons to prove themselves but he’ll get it. And then Milan will lose money on him.
I hope you know that a season after we paid €20mfor Tonali, we also paid €40m for CDK and he never adapted to the league at Milan.
The market never lies.
They paid that fee for CDK because he was the young player of the season, while three years after we paid the same fee for Jashari who was voted the best player in the entire league.
Perhaps it is high time we give more time for players from the Belgian market to adapt in Italy?
The essence is let’s not as fans have selective amnesia. If the Jashari transfer was wrong, so was CDK, but everyday we praise who we have decided to praise and cover their errors just to push a lame narrative.
Imagine loosing Kessie for free and passing on the opportunity to replace him with Anguissa.
While we were still missing Kessie’s void they insisted on signing CDK even when it was evident that he would struggle in the position he would be deployed.
I remember Zielinski and even Zaniolo were offered to Maldini but he insisted on CDK, I must confess, I my love for him made me trust his judgement, because either of Zielinski or Zaniolo would have been more functional for us, but I couldn’t castigate him because I felt he knew what he was doing. But since that outcome, I learned to separate a legendary player from a novice Director and understand that it takes nothing from his status and what he has done for the club.
Nobody is giving Milan 30 mil for Nkunku unless he wants to go to Saudi….