There could well be a mass exodus at AC Milan this summer, but Ardon Jashari and Strahinja Pavlovic have no intention of being part of it.
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La Gazzetta dello Sport report that for some players it’s the lack of a Champions League spot that has made them reconsider their future at Milan. For others, Massimiliano Allegri’s sacking has alienated them, while the uncertainty surrounding the club’s plans affects everyone.
Despite all of this, there are some players who – based on how last season went and the specific stage of their careers they are at now – prefer to consider continuing with the Rossoneri.
Staying put
Two names stand out in this context: Jashari and Pavlovic. They’re coming off very different seasons in terms of their roles and their relationship with the coach, but they share the same intention of staying at Milan.
The Swiss has already made this clear to his agents in recent days: his strong desire is to stay because, regardless of his contract, he wants to prove himself and prove himself worthy over a ‘real’ season, i.e. one not impacted by a fractured fibula.
Also weighing on Ardon’s mind is the knowledge that he was the second-most expensive investment (€34m plus bonuses) last summer, after Christopher Nkunku. Considering a change of scenery just because his first year didn’t pan out would be counter-productive.
Furthermore, given the uncertainty surrounding the permanence of Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot, there could be much more room for him on the horizon. The Swiss is a highly sought-after prospect, both abroad and in Italy (Juventus and Atalanta have been linked), but he intends to remain.
The same goes for Pavlovic, although the Serbian is theoretically one of the most desirable players on the market after a year of enormous growth. He, like Jashari, would like to stay where he is, so the only danger is if a huge bid from abroad comes in.
Allegri has sculpted him, refined him, and armed him with unsuspected attacking prowess. Pavlovic has done the rest: in the second half of the season, he tried, along with very few others, to set an example in spirit and attitude within a team that was floundering.
Unfortunately, the mission failed, but Strahinja emerged from this season improved and strengthened. Moreover, if Oliver Glasner were to indeed arrive, he could continue to play in a three-man defence, which is certainly more suited to him than a back four.
He would like to have a technical director like Ralf Rangnick too: before arriving at Milanello, Pavlovic played in Salzburg, a Red Bull stronghold where Glasner moved a dozen years ago and where Rangnick carried forward his football model on and off the pitch.