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LoginBayern reached agreement with AC Milan for Gattuso
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REPORT: BAYERN CLOSE TO GATTUSO DEAL
..Bayern Munich have already reached an agreement with AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, according to reports. The Italy international has been targeted by the Bundesliga club to boost their team for an assault on the Champions League next season while striker Luca Toni has repeatedly stated he would welcome a compatriot in the Bayern team next season..According to Italy's Italia 1 television, the Bavarians have been able to convince the 30-year-old to join with a lucrative contract offer and are now set for talks with his club over a fee.
Earlier this week, Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer claimed Gattuso would be "perfect" for Bayern. With Milan having signed Mathieu Flamini from Arsenal, Gattuso may now be allowed to leave should the club receive the right offer, believed to be around 20million euros.
The Rossoneri may also ask for unsettled Bayern full-back Willy Sagnol as a makeweight for a deal, according to reports in Italy and Germany.
Edited by zocoss 09 May `08, 7:10PM
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If you seen serie A this guy has lost alot of his fire, player of his kind who relies on physical play, loses his power when age comes and his physical level drops. He no longer the player he used to be.
With average technique and tactical sense with his strongest aspect pf physical play dropping due to age.
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For many years Italy always appeared to lack a certain type of centre midfielder, a strong and fearless bulldog who would launch himself into tackles, get stuck in, fire up his team-mates, and really wear his heart on his sleeve.
There was never a shortage of technical or tactical quality, but if you ever watch over videos from the 1994 and 1998 World Cups you will notice just how fragile the Azzurri could be in the middle-of-the-park. The real strength was located in defence and up-front, and it was these two areas that allowed them to have successful tournaments.
This all changed when Gattuso burst onto the scene. When he was recognised as a regular in 2004, Italy finally had themselves a player who would offer some real steel in the centre of midfield. Tactically and technically he was average, but he brought something to the Italy team, a kind of British spirit, that had been missing for many years. It is no coincidence that two years later, La Nazionale would go on to lift the World Cup.
Gattuso was equally crucial to the Milan team who dominated the Champions League for half-a-decade.
Like Italy, the Rossoneri have not been short of tactical or technical quality. Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko, Rui Costa – these are just a few of the wonderfully gifted offensive players that the Diavoli have had at their disposal.
However without Gattuso, Milan would have been like Italy during the 94 and 98 World Cups – they would have been fragile and brittle in the centre of midfield, and it is debatable, despite all this talent above, whether they would have been half as successful as they have been.
This season Gattuso has been a shadow of his terrier-like self. At the age of 30 it appears that his advancing years are starting to take their toll. Gattuso’s whole game, as I explained in a Calcio Debate several weeks ago, is based around “aggression, stamina, and closing down the opposition. In order to do this, Gattuso needs to be in tip-top physical shape. His pace, acceleration and energy levels have certainly dropped this year, and as a result he cannot make the tackles he once was able to.”
The heart and determination of Gattuso is definitely still there, but the body just will not follow. As ‘Ringhio’ is not the strongest of players tactically and technically, his game really suffers once his physical strengths diminish.
It is no coincidence, given Gattuso’s importance to Milan over the past six years or so, that with the midfielder having a poor season, the Rossoneri have also had a disappointing season.
There have been strong reports that Milan are looking to begin a new era at the club by selling Gattuso in the summer.
Given what has just been explained above - is this be a good idea?
Well providing Gattuso can rediscover his physical sharpness, then certainly he must not be sold.
However it is very debatable, given his age and what the law of physics tells us about bodily decline, whether he will ever be back to his old levels.
Gattuso is not Roberto Baggio, who once he had lost his pace, could use his incredible technique and guile to adapt his game and still be a top-class player. This is just not possible with Gattuso, as is the case with many modern footballers, who are only good while their athletic capacity lasts.
Perhaps the time is right for both sides to go their separate ways. At the age of 30, Milan could still command a reasonably good fee, and there is sure to be a long-list of suitors. Indeed Real Madrid are rumoured to be prepared to table a significant offer.
A new challenge may also do Gattuso some good. After nine years at Milan, perhaps things have become a little stale, and a new experience abroad may revitalise him.
As a replacement Milan surely can look no further than Arsenal’s Matthieu Flamini. Arsene Wenger seems resigned to losing the midfielder, who has a scarily similar style of play to Gattuso. The Frenchman is also available on a free transfer, and if he were to arrive at San Siro, there is no doubt that he would be a class act. At the age of 23 he has his whole career ahead of him, and would also provide Milan with some much-needed young blood.
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Thats the reason why Milan has signed Flamini and willing to let him go... Yeah i agree Gattuso isn't the player he used to be, but he still has lots of experience and probably can go on for another 2 yrs... German league would suit him better... as the pace isn't as fast and it could also prolong his career...
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