4 days ago
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Club Brugge forward Christos Tzolis has shed some light on his former team-mate Ardon Jashari, after his move to AC Milan was confirmed.
The saga ended up dragging on for over two months but Milan eventually got their man, signing Jashari in a deal that could reach €37-39m including bonuses, depending on which reports you believe.
Jashari will join Luka Modric and Samuele Ricci to form part of a new-look midfield, a department that needed rebuilding after the big-money sale of Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City. We profiled the Swiss in a recent analysis, and now someone who saw him first hand every day has commented.
‘The qualities to shift the balance of power’
In an exclusive interview with PianetaMilan, Tzolis spoke about his former team-mate Jashari including how the move played out and what the feelings of the team were during the saga.
How are Brugge looking this season?
“I think we’ve started much better this year, and we’re doing much better in terms of results! I admit we’ve lost some key players.
“With time, we’ll develop a connection with the pitch, and our goal for the next few weeks is to improve certain mechanisms. But it’s only the beginning of the season. We’re a great team, and we’ll definitely do better than the derby win.”
Tell us about the Jashari-Milan soap opera…
“It was just his soap opera… the team was trying to focus on themselves. Ardon was certainly an important player for us, but he made the right choice by joining a big club. I wish him all the best!
“We’re talking about a great person and an exceptional player who always made the difference in matches, and without him we’ve lost something. But life goes on even without Ardon.
“The club have signed important players like Stankovic and Reis who have nothing to envy anyone. They’ll do well here.”
Will Jashari do well in Italy?
“Let’s hope so! I hope he stays healthy, because he certainly has the qualities to shift the balance of power at the highest levels. And I wish him the best of luck!”
He missed training sessions with Club Brugge…
“He didn’t come to say hello in person, but he sent us a message wishing us all the best. It was difficult because we trained in the morning and had a flight to Salzburg in the afternoon.
“In the meantime, the two clubs reached an agreement on his transfer, and he boarded a plane to Milan. We haven’t seen each other since. He’s already training with Milan.”
Is it good to see your old team-mates soar like this?
“This club has sold so many champions to top-flight teams for millions in the past… and this is an incentive for all of us. Every player at Club Brugge dreams of playing for a club like Milan in the future! Ardon is an example for us, and we hope others will soar like him.”
Which famous player does Jashari remind you of?
“If I have to name one, I’d say Granit Xhaka! They’re from the same country and very similar as players, so the comparison is therefore excellent.”
English (US) ·