Hernan Crespo, the legendary Argentinian striker who played for Lazio, Inter, Chelsea, and Milan among other clubs, spoke with those at La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Question: More than €70 million for just one goal in five Serie A games. Crespo, don’t you think Gonçalo Ramos was overvalued?
"I coach Atlas in Mexico, not Milan in Italy, so it’s difficult for me to give a precise answer. What I can say is that I know Gonçalo Ramos. He is a good player, an excellent centre-forward, and sooner or later he will score goals. Of course, given the money spent on his signing, the fans expected a top-class goalscorer, but the Portuguese has never been an infallible finisher. Look at the numbers from his career and you’ll find all the answers you’re looking for."
Can you explain that in more detail?
“Over his last three seasons at PSG, Ramos scored 53 goals in 131 appearances. That means his scoring rate is not extraordinary: not even one goal every two games. Moreover, although he has always made a valuable contribution, he was never a regular starter under Luis Enrique in the team that became European champions twice in a row. An excellent player, agreed, but you certainly cannot call him a top player.”
So should Milan fans make peace with it and accept that they have a centre-forward who runs a lot, works hard for the team, but does not see the goal often? Crespo responded:
“Ramos works incredibly hard on the pitch and is always at the service of the team. That is not insignificant. If, after all the dirty work he does, he also put the ball in the net, we would be looking at a phenomenon... The truth is that the Portuguese has a very particular style of play. He likes to link up with his teammates, drops deep and creates space for his teammates to make runs. These are important details that should not be overlooked when judging a player.
“It is true that goals are expected from a centre-forward, that is what he is there for, and he is paid for that job too. However, you can still be useful to the team without scoring: perhaps by providing valuable assists, making movements perfectly in sync with the rest of the team, or constantly pressing and putting the opposition under pressure.”
In fact, of all Milan’s players, Ramos is the one who runs the most...
“And that is an admirable quality, one that should make the fans happy. He never shies away from a challenge, he fights, battles with defenders and works tirelessly to win the ball. In short, for now I would not write him off. Of course, once you look at how much he was paid, you enter dangerous territory.”
