After Gonçalo Ramos in attack, AC Milan are close to completing another major signing, this time in defence: Mario Gila is now just one step away from a move from Lazio to the Rossoneri. Milan, who have beaten competition from Napoli and Atalanta, have already reached an agreement with the 2000-born defender and are now aiming to finalise a deal with Lazio at the beginning of next week. The Spaniard has been on Milan's radar for some time, having already been the subject of negotiations in recent months by the club's former sporting director, Igli Tare, the man who originally discovered him and brought him to Italy during his time at Lazio.
Who is Mario Gila?
Born in Barcelona on 29 August 2000, Gila developed through the youth academies of several Catalan clubs, including Santa Perpètua de Mogoda (2009–2013), Sabadell (2013–2014), Mollet (2014–2016), Damm (2016–2017), and Espanyol (2017–2018), before joining Real Madrid in 2018. The following year, he became part of Real Madrid Castilla, the club's reserve team, which at the time was coached by former striker Raúl. Over three seasons, he made 73 appearances and scored five goals.
Gila also played twice for Real Madrid's first team. On 30 April 2022, he made his senior debut against Espanyol, coming on in the 75th minute to replace Camavinga. On 12 May, he made his second appearance against Levante, replacing Nacho in the 82nd minute.
In the summer of 2022, he joined Lazio for €6 million. During his time with the Biancocelesti, he made a total of 120 appearances and scored two goals.
The man who brought Gila to Lazio was Igli Tare, Milan's former sporting director. It is no secret that Tare also tried to bring the defender to Milan before being dismissed by Gerry Cardinale following the club's failure to qualify for the Champions League.
At Gila's unveiling as a new Lazio player, the Albanian executive introduced him by saying:
"Today, I have the pleasure of presenting this young player, a defender we have followed and analysed for a long time. We discussed him together with Sarri, and I am delighted that we have completed this deal. He has been a pleasant surprise during pre-season and will have the opportunity to develop alongside many great champions. This is his first real experience at this level, and I hope he becomes a top-class footballer."
Later, in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport in December 2024, Tare again spoke highly of the Spaniard:
"Gila is quick, intelligent, and never has a bad game. He can become one of the best three or four defenders in the world."
