Arrigo Sacchi released his comments exclusively as usual to the microphones of La Gazzetta dello Sport to talk about the Rosoneri's moment in the mercato and the importance of Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara's renewal. Here are his words:
"Maldini and Massara have deserved the renewal of their contract for what they have done in recent seasons. There is no official announcement yet, but I really think the matter is settled. I hope so for Milan. We are talking about two managers who have demonstrated their value on the pitch. If Milan have achieved a masterpiece, and the Scudetto is an authentic masterpiece, a good part of the credit goes to them. Paolo and Massara showed everyone that with ideas you go farther than with money. Money is important, God forbid, but it is more important to make your brain work."
Why was there a delay? Sacchi had this to say:
"I don't know the internal dynamics of the company, but I know the Americans quite well because I have often worked on them when I was managing the family business. They are like that, they want to evaluate every detail carefully, they want to weigh their choices, they don't think with their bellies. Look at how they behaved with those players who did not accept the contract renewal, and I think of Franck Kessié: they weren't there to chase him, they took a different path and they never looked back. It's their style."
On the time lost in the transfer market already:
"Perhaps some time has been lost, this is undeniable. However, the important thing is that Maldini and Massara have the ok to operate and that they feel the confidence of the club. When you feel the trust of the employer, you make a lot more. It is obvious that now we need to accelerate and look for those player profiles on the market that are functional to the game project."
Arrigo Sacchi on Divock Origi:
"I'm curious to see him at work in the Italian league. But the base of Milan, let's never forget, is the group: when they play 'as a team', eleven active boys in possession and non-possession, then yes they become very strong."
On how to be competitive without spending a lot of money:
"If there isn't a lot of money, it's better: so they don't throw it away. You have to concentrate on ideas. In Milan that won the Scudetto there were guys who were unknown or semi-unknown. Could any of you, before they played in Serie A, tell me about Pierre Kalulu? Yet he proved to be an excellent defender. And here lies the merit of Maldini and Massara who have found so many young players , without a great curriculum and with a great desire to emerge. You have to understand football to go and get Kalulu or Alexis Saelemaekers ... This is the demonstration that skill, ideas and competence always win."
Arrigo Sacchi on the back and fourth between the two directors and Milan owners, is the relationship cracked a bit?
"I hope not. The club must recognise Maldini and Massara heir roles and their freedom of action in the choice of players and they have to respect the budget set by the club. That's how companies work. You don't go far with debt."
