Italian striker’s transfer brings much-needed cheer to Milan

Young, ready and raring to go, Alberto Gilardino triumphantly announced to Studio Milan: “At last, I am a Milan player.” A summer affair of heated negotiations and tall bureaucracy had finally come to an end.

The Italian striker’s transfer was never going to be easy, given the collapse of Parma’s parent company Parmalat and a long list of admirers. Juventus, Inter, Roma, Chelsea and Milan had all expressed interest in the outrageously talented 23-year-old striker; Parma thus knew they could fetch a high price for their prized asset.

Milan, though, were in pole position to sign Gilardino and had reportedly made an approach last summer about securing his services. But Parma wanted to hold on to Gilardino a little longer.

When negotiations for him did finally get underway this summer many expected the transfer to be concluded in a matter of days.

The ‘Chelsea-effect’

There was, of course, a small problem of money. In mid-May, knowing that Chelsea were in the market for any thing that moved well and Gilardino was close to repeating his 23-goal-scoring feat (which in the end he did) for a second year in a row, Parma president Luca Baraldi slapped a behemoth £34m (approx. 50m Euros) price tag on Gilardino. Chelsea’s influence — inadvertent or not, we will never know — on the valuation cannot be overstated.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said it the best when he moaned about his inability to make a move for Shaun-Wright Phillips: “We are in a market where you let Chelsea make decisions and then come in after.” Wenger’s exasperation spoke for all.

In the present financial climate of football, no club with their pragmatic hats on can afford to spend Baraldi’s asking price; well, other than Chelsea that is. Parma’s president knew full well that the gamble was worth it. He had raised the bar, and negotiations would begin on his terms not Milan’s.

Ultimatums

During the last season Gilardino made it abundantly clear that he wanted to play his future football in Italy, especially given the fact that the World Cup was on the horizon. Hence Baraldi knew that only three clubs in Italy— Inter, Juventus and Milan — could realistically afford anything close to his asking price.

That the initial figure was a starting negotiating mark became clear when Silvio Berlusconi, Milan’s opulent patron and Italian prime-minister, announced: “Gilardino is too expensive. At that price I wouldn’t buy him.”

There was also uncertainty surrounding Parma’s future ownership and whether or not they would welcome Gilardino’s sale. Indeed, Berlusconi, perhaps posturing, said that he “was sure the new prospective owners of Parma would not want to sell Gilardino.”

Gateano Valenza, a Naples-born entrepreneur, was keen to take over Parma and reportedly wanted to keep the likes of Gilardino and even appoint the adventurous Zdenek Zeman as coach. But the takeover never happened, for reasons which are still unclear. Some point to Parma’s eagerness to sell Gilardino as the main cause but there might have been other more bureaucratic considerations.

Sensing the turn of events, Parma dramatically reduced their asking price for Gilardino to £22m. The subsequent negotiations between Milan and Parma rigorously tested the mettle of Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani and director general Ariedo Breida. In the end, Milan’s message was clear, they wanted the player but at a sensible price. They put a £17m offer on the table and gave Parma a deadline of July 18 to accept or reject.

A calculated gamble

Initially the ultimatum appeared to be madness but Galliani knew he held all the cards now. Gilardino had given Parma an ultimatum himself of “either sell me to Milan or keep me at Parma.” The player had even agreed to renounce a clause in his contract which stated if he was sold for more than 20 million euros he would keep 2 million.

On July 16, two days before Milan’s deadline, the judge presiding over Parma’s bankruptcy announced that Gilardino would have to be put up for auction, for Milan’s figure was much too low.

Gilardino was understandably annoyed at the term “auction” and how it commodified him.

“I am not a house or thing, I am a person. Why is there need for an auction when only Milan have made a serious offer?” said a disillusioned and golden-crisp Gilardino, recently back from vacationing in Mexico.

July 18th arrived and the “D-Day” metaphors were promptly splashed across all broadsides in Italy. After the working day had ended, Gilardino had still not arrived. But journalists camped outside of via Turati (Milan headquarters) suddenly came to life when Parma officials showed up close to 6:30pm. It appeared that Milan’s deadline was the real deal.

Gilardino soon followed and then made the gleeful announcement of his transfer to Studio Milan at around 9:00 pm.

Dynamic strike pairing

At 23, Gilardino not only presents Milan with a prolific partner for Andriy Shevchenko but also a natural heir to the Ukrainian as well. The forward can use both his feet, is exceptional in the air and is a fantastic exponent of the “shot-on-the-turn” à la Milan great Marco van Basten. His sensible conduct on and off the pitch also makes him appealing, especially when compared to Italy’s other promising youngster, Roma’s enfant terrible Antonio Cassano.

Milan’s collapse in this year’s Champions League final and Scudetto run-in meant that they had to make a big move in the transfer market which not only addressed the jibes of them being ‘Shevchenko-dependent’ but also allowed fans something to get excited about. Gilardino’s purchase certainly fits that bill on both counts.

But Milan fans are not the only ones who are rejoicing and dreaming. Gilardino, wide-eyed and excited, recently announced: “I selected Milan because they are the team that totally wanted me and then because it has always been my dream to play here. They are the number one side in the world.”

Milan will be hoping that Gilardino’s appraisal proves good next season.

Hasan Saiyid
TotalSoccer.ca writer/editor