Yesterday in Skopje, North Macedonia (the country his parents come from, although they are ethnically Albanian) Ardon Jashari made his third start of the season. Not many, it has to be said, for a player who cost more than €34 million only a year ago, when he moved heaven and earth to get Club Brugge to give him the green light to join Milan, turning down more lucrative offers in order to fulfil his childhood dream.
The Nations League match against Switzerland (Ardon stayed on the pitch until the final whistle) at least gave him a chance to get some minutes into his legs, given that he has played just 153 minutes for Milan so far. Certainly fewer than the player voted the best in the Belgian league in 2024–25 would have expected.
Expectations
During the summer, despite a disappointing first season in red and black (partly because he had started at a disadvantage after breaking his fibula in August 2025) Jashari attracted interest from several clubs around Europe. Villarreal, Leipzig and Benfica from abroad, and above all Atalanta in Italy. Milan and Ruben Amorim, however, were adamant: Ardon was not going anywhere. The Swiss midfielder appreciated that stance, but he thought the words and expressions of confidence would be followed by action. And indeed, on the opening day of Serie A against Torino, Jashari was named in the starting XI. It proved to be an illusion, as four consecutive league appearances on the bench followed. In Milan’s last two league matches, against Lazio and Lecce, the Swiss midfielder did not even get onto the pitch. In between, of course, there was also his Europa League debut against Benfica, when Jashari started and remained on the field for 73 minutes. But as things stand today, Ardon is clearly behind others in Amorim’s pecking order. And the reason appears to have a name: Luka Modric.
It is natural to think that Modric’s decision to stay has complicated Jashari’s development plans. Under Massimiliano Allegri last season, the former Brugge player was seen mainly as the Croatian’s understudy in the deep-lying playmaker role. With the arrival of the Portuguese coach on the Rossoneri bench, things have not changed very much: Milan no longer play with a three-man midfield, but with two central midfielders, yet Jashari still remains an alternative to “Lukita.” The evidence? The two have never been on the pitch together so far, and on as many as three occasions one has replaced the other. The last time Modric and Jashari shared the pitch was in the derby on 5 August in Perth, Australia. A friendly, needless to say.
A chance for Jashari?
The idea of fielding two "technical" midfielders together evidently does not appeal to Amorim, but when Milan return from the international break, the former Sporting and Manchester United coach will be forced to rely even more heavily on squad rotation. Milan will play seven matches in 20 days, from 11 to 31 October. So there should certainly be opportunities for Jashari, perhaps finally alongside Modric on a particular occasion or for part of a match.
There is another interesting point, though: Ardon has never started three consecutive matches in more than a year at Milan. Under those circumstances, it is difficult to find continuity and build the confidence needed to establish yourself at such a demanding club, especially after a serious injury like the one he suffered in training before the away match at Lecce last season. Jashari also commanded a high fee because of his long-term potential, but from Allegri to Amorim, Milan are governed by the demands of the present. And more often than not, that present is still called Modric. How long will the Swiss midfielder put up with the situation? It is difficult to say, but he too will have to do his part if he wants to turn things around. This was reported by Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition.
