Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke with the media to talk about the transfer of Youssouf Fofana from AS Monaco to AC Milan. Here are the club's consultant's words:
Why did you choose Youssouf Fofana?
"We were looking for a midfielder who could keep the team balanced. He is a complete player, capable of breaking lines and scoring goals. It was one of the longest negotiations, but now what matters is that he is here. The team is complete, and we are very happy and welcome him to Milan."
Is the transfer market over? Ibrahimovic replied:
"The coach does his job, and the club does the rest. We don't need to make any more signings. With these four new players, we have doubled our options, and then there's Milan Futuro. These four signings were already targets even before choosing the coach. We don't need to sell anyone because there are many competitions. However, the market closes when I say it closes. We are on day 6 of 7."
And about Youssouf Fofana, he adds:
"He is the most complete of them all."
What is the status of the renewals of Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan?
"We are in talks. Everything is under control, everything is okay. We know what we want from them, and they know what they want from us. It will be resolved in a minute or maybe a bit more time, but everything is okay."
About his son's brace in Milan Primavera match today against Udinese:
"He is working hard. My surname isn't easy, and having a father who did what he did isn't easy. But I'm happy for him."
With Youssouf Fofana's arrival, Milan has five French players. Is France the country with the most talent? Ibrahimovic answered:
"We know it is a country with great talents. I played there for four years, and there is a great school of talent with players who become top players, and for us, having them is a source of pride, especially when they bring results. The important thing is a compact, united team and results."
Can Youssouf Fofana reach the level of the top Europeans in his role?
"Youssouf is still young. He has room for growth. He brings balance and stability. We have strengthened the backbone of the team in this market, which will bring balance to the team. We really like his profile, and now it is up to the coach to make him perform at his best. We are sure he will improve Milan a lot, and how he will play depends on the coach. He contributes a lot both defensively and offensively."
Are you considering a third striker?
"Our strategy is not to block our talents. With four signings, we have two players for each role, and in some cases, more than two. We are confident in our talents. Torriani will be Maignan's backup, and when Sportiello returns, they will have competition. We are not afraid to put talents on the field and let them play; otherwise, these talents are useless. When players go out on loan, you don't control them. By staying at Milan, we have control, and that's why we don't bring in unnecessary extras. We want to develop these talents. We play to win, but we are not afraid to launch them."
What nickname will you give Youssouf Fofana?
"I leave it to the fans..."
On the seventh day, God rested; What will you do?
"I don't feel tired, so we keep going..."
Is Manu Koné part of the 'seventh day'?
"We are following him, he has grown a lot. He played in the Olympics, and we'll see what we have in mind. But yes, we are following him. With Fofana, there is less room for him, but we'll see. Only one day is left in creating this new world of Milan."
How much mentality does Milan need to always be among the top four in Europe?
"Our team is both for Italy and Europe. It is in Europe that we want to climb back to the top. We have important players with international experience. The Champions League is the Champions League. Anything can happen, or nothing at all. We want to confirm ourselves year after year, we want to be competitive in the present and the future. We have brought in a coach with a different identity from before. We are at the top in Italy, but it is in Europe that we want to return to the top. Here, there are no excuses; we play for all the trophies and fight."
