Milan manager Paulo Fonseca addressed the media in the build-up to Saturday’s mouth-watering Serie A showdown against Fiorentina. Pierre Kalulu’s controversial loan switch to bitter rivals Juventus toward the end of the summer was among the topics during the pre-match conference.
Kalulu spent most of last season nursing injuries. But despite his lack of fitness, he was still a valuable first-team member at Stadio San Siro. Therefore, Milan shocked their fans when they let the French defender leave the club for no other than Juventus in August.
That decision is even more mind-boggling, considering Milan desperately needed a reliable alternative at right-back after captain Davide Calabria failed to live up to expectations. Kalulu fared well on the flank during his four-year stint in Lombardy.
However, Milan allowed him to join Juventus on loan with an option to buy. Meanwhile, they signed Emerson Royal, who has yet to convince the Rossoneri faithful. Fonseca chose a diplomatic answer when asked why the club renounced the 24-year-old’s signature.
“I don’t talk about players who are not here,” the Milan boss said, as reported by Calciomercato. “Kalulu is no longer here. It was also a choice of the player.”
Letting the ex-Lyon defender was a mistake. But bringing his countryman Youssouf Fofana could be Milan’s best piece of business in the summer. Fonseca keeps the French midfielder in high regard, highlighting his importance to the team.
“He is very important for us; he improves every day. There was an adaptation period as Ligue 1 is different from Serie A,” the Milan coach stated.
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