Yusuf Yazici has opened up to the idea of potentially joining AC Milan, and a report has claimed that there might well be a reciprocated interest.
La Gazzetta dello Sport write that Yazici’s contract with Lille is expiring and he ‘could continue’ his career with the Rossoneri. The Rossoneri management admire the attacking midfielder and of course his current coach Paulo Fonseca.
It is a reciprocated interest, and in many ways it would be a story coming full circle. Yazici presented himself to the San Siro crowd his own way in November 2020, in a Europa League match where he scored a hat-trick which ended a long unbeaten run.
He told Sofoot: “I will never forget that hat-trick at San Siro in a legendary stadium against a historic opponent.” This season the Turkey international has scored five league goals and added two assist in 27 appearances, so not his best campaign.
Last summer he returned from a loan at Trabzonspor where he had arrived in 2019 for €19m and Fonseca relaunched him, progressively transforming him into a point of reference for his attack, complementary to striker Jonathan David who ended the season with 19 goals.
Lille finished fourth and will be fighting for a place in the Champions League in the summer, but Yazici will not be there as he is instead preparing to say goodbye to the French club.
The 27-year-old spoke about Fonseca: “A coach who I appreciate a lot, because he gave me confidence and taught me many things. I like his sincerity and his closeness with the players.
“With him I have developed a more mature, more ruthless football offensively and now I also like to defend: and I never thought I would say it one day, he has shown me that managing the game behind the striker is not enough I missed this. I’m older and I understand better the importance of the coverage phase in today’s football.”
The European Championship on the horizon could be a showcase for Yazici: “I’m pleased that many important clubs are interested in me, I still have many dreams to realise in football. You can’t remain insensitive to clubs like Milan, which for me it means players like Ronaldinho, Beckham.”
