AC Milan worked for many long hours in the final days of the transfer market to secure the signing of a new striker. The hunt was ongoing for a player who can rotate with French veteran Olivier Giroud. The choice, eventually, had to land on Luka Jovic who was available on the market and according to the club's financial parameters.
As highlighted by La Gazzetta dello Sport in today's newspaper, with the Serbian forward arriving from Fiorentina, Stefano Pioli will need to be not only a coach but also a psychologist and motivator. Jovic is coming off a year in Tuscany, his first in Italy, where he was tasked with revitalizing his career but failed to do so, managing only 13 goals throughout the season. This came after a promising career that hadn't lived up to expectations thus far. In the 2018/2019 season, a stellar performance at Eintracht Frankfurt put him on Real Madrid's radar, where he was supposed to be Karim Benzema's successor but couldn't make the impact expected of him. Following that, he had a series of lackluster and unconvincing experiences. Now, Pioli will need to work on his mental game if he wants Jovic to be a long-term solution.
Jovic is seen as Olivier Giroud's backup. The Serbian, though, has important qualities and potential that must be revived. Given the right environment and motivation, perhaps he can present a good challenge to Giroud and maybe even become his heir. Therefore, this year, the former Eintracht Frankfurt player must work hard to prove his worth. He will have many chances because this season is difficult and long and Giroud is 37 years old and will have to be rested.
