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Watching Alexis Saelemaekers must make Massimiliano Allegri smile, because he is the symbol of what he wants from his team collectively.
As MilanNews write, Saelemaekers is undoubtedly one of the brightest notes from Milan’s start to the season. The backstory surrounding his summer is well known: Roma wanted to sign him permanently but Allegri expressed his desire to keep him at the club, because he liked what he had seen.
What exactly did he admire? The Belgian’s ability to play in multiple roles, his energy, his patience in waiting for his moment, and of course his work ethic too. There has been talk of a renewal coming as a reward, and Saelemaekers commented on that in an interview with SportMediaset.
“I think I can’t hide my love for Milan. Obviously, right now, all I have to do is give my all on the pitch. Then the club will decide if they want to keep me. As long as I wear this shirt, I will give my all in every match,” he said.
Formative experiences
Saelemaekers is giving more than his all, and that’s precisely the quality Allegri appreciates most. After loan spells at Bologna and Roma – with the support of Claudio Ranieri who was crucial to his development with the latter – he returned to Milan more mature.
Not only that, but he came back with the knowledge that he could play a leading role in the new chessboard that Allegri has designed, able to be that interchangeable pawn depending on the coach’s interpretation of the game.
Intelligence, passion, heart and sacrifice: Saelemaekers is popular because he perfectly embodies what it means to ‘sweat for the shirt’. He doesn’t care too much about sometimes superfluous aesthetics, clearly preferring the consistency that is paying off in the long run.
The more miles he racks up, the more difficult it becomes for Allegri to remove him from the pitch. Regardless of his role or his opponent, Saelemaekers’ technical and mental diktat remains unchanged: he’s ready to do anything for his club, and for three points.
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