As Milan go toe to toe with their cross town rivals Inter for the Serie A title, the focus has all been on Zlatan Ibrahimović and Romelu Lukaku whose goals have catapulted their sides to the top.
Both strikers have been in sensational form this season with Lukaku leading the scoring charts with 17 goals and Ibrahimović just slightly behind on 14. The form of Ibrahimović has galvanized the Rossoneri and giving them a cutting edge they have lacked for some years.
Across Europe though in the Bundesliga, former Milan player André Silva is making waves with Eintracht Frankfurt scoring 18 goals so far this season and has just claimed the player of the month gong. A revelation since he made the move to Germany, you have to wonder if the Italian side gave up too early on the Portuguese international.
Andre Silva beats Robert Lewandowski and Jadon Sancho to the Bundesliga Player of the Month award ?pic.twitter.com/6sv5OWyBUq
— Goal (@goal) February 19, 2021
A natural finisher, the striker has displayed an acute instinct for goals when he enters the box and at Frankfurt he seems to have found his confidence that was so lacking from his time in Serie A.
The Portuguese arrived at Milanello to positive reviews from his homeland where he was seen as the answer to the national teams ongoing problem finding an elite number 9, with 4 goals in his first 5 international appearances.
Silva was thrust into first team action after his reported €38 million fee but only managed 2 goals in 24 appearances. Manager Gennaro Gattuso and director Leonardo felt the striker was no longer part of their plans going forward and so he was loaned to Spanish side Sevilla with an option to purchase at the conclusion of the season.
The striker though failed to impress, only netting 11 goals across 40 appearances for the Andalusians and was subsequently sent back to Milan. Clearly not wanting to give the Portuguese anymore chances, a swap agreement was reached with Eintracht Frankfurt for Croatian Ante Rebić.
Installed as the clubs focal attacking point, Silva has exploded in the Bundesliga netting 30 goals in 45 league appearances taking Die Adler into Champions League contention. Eintracht Frankfurt’s attacking plan is based heavily around crossing the ball into the box and Silva has taken full advantage of this service plundering goals for fun.
?? André Silva is the ?? Bundesliga Player of the Month award winner for January with 7 goals in 6 matches. pic.twitter.com/PcaJKLCCvR
— PortugueseSoccer.com ⚽️ (@PsoccerCOM) February 19, 2021
Milan have been Serie A’s front runners for most of the season but have stumbled in the past few weeks, most recently away to Spezia and then in the derby against Inter, highlighting their need for another goal scorer. Zlatan though a marvel will be 40 years old this October, Rafael Leão has only managed to find the net 5 times in the league and Rebić 4.
The style of the Rossoneri‘s play has been transformed under Pioli and in particular that of left back Theo Hernández who skills could be used to create chances ideal for a striker of Silva’s ilk where he can operate within the same spaces currently occupied by Ibrahimović and also link the play in the final third the way the Swede does.
The Portuguese international is proof that with time, patience and the right system a player can display their talent at the highest level and if he continues on this trajectory will definitely prove to be one that Milan gave up on too early.