CorSport: ‘Ready for the extraordinary’ – why Fofana is set for a key role under Allegri too

With the midfield being rebuilt astir him, Youssouf Fofana hopes to play a starring relation nether Massimiliano Allegri arsenic helium did past season.

As this morning’s variation of Corriere dello Sport recalls, Fofana featured successful 52 of the 55 games played by Milan past season. The lone 3 absences were not due to the fact that of enactment either, but alternatively antithetic circumstances.

In the archetypal crippled of the play the Frenchman was presented astatine San Siro during half-time, successful the instrumentality derby connected February 2 helium was suspended, portion successful Milan-Bologna connected May 9 helium was retired due to the fact that of an injured foot.

In short, erstwhile available, Fofana has ever acceptable ft connected the pitch. Will this beryllium the lawsuit with the midfield gyration that Igli Tare and Massimiliano Allegri are implementing during this transportation window?

Fofana’s relation and characteristics

The definitive answer, arsenic always, volition beryllium fixed lone by the pitch. Last season, Fofana went done a play of changeless usage (always a starter with Paulo Fonseca without practically ever resting) and tougher periods nether Sergio Conceição.

During those times helium was benched adjacent successful important matches, besides due to morganatic carnal fatigue, lone to past travel connected during the game. But a prediction connected his aboriginal usage tin already beryllium made: the signings coincide with the different 2 thirds of the midfield three.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Tare has sought and purchased idiosyncratic to bid things successful beforehand of the defence (Samuele Ricci), volition bring a multi-role champion similar Luka Modric to Milan and is negotiating the transportation of a mezzala, Ardon Jashari. The other mezzala is simply a garment that has probably already been assigned, to Fofana.

In fact, Milan volition request to implicit the section with a antheral who runs: Ricci is simply a surveyor of the situation, Jashari is simply a container to container player, portion Modric has nary request for method and tactical introductions.

Fofana has the characteristics that are missing: athleticism, combativeness, quality to instantly retrieve the shot with an assertive pressing signifier oregon with body-to-body duels successful 1 fractional of the pitch. Even for Allegri, therefore, the Frenchman volition beryllium practically irreplaceable.

If necessary, his replacements could beryllium a transcript of sorts: Warren Bondo has akin qualities successful presumption of shot recovery, portion Ruben Loftus-Cheek is simply a antheral much oriented towards onslaught and decidedly little effectual successful the antiaircraft phase, but does person physicality.