How do you guys rate his pace....initially before he came to Milan the articles said that he had Kaka-like pace or playing style or something...can't remember. I'm not a good judge of speed so I thought I'd ask the good ppl of Milanfan.com (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

AC Milan youngster Stephan El Shaarawy is set for a loan spell in Germany with Koln as he looks for first-team opportunities, according to a report in Italy.


Sky Sport Italia claims that the German outfit are looking to take the former Padova attacker on a loan spell that will either last for six or 18 months.

The 19-year-old has found his path to the first team at San Siro blocked by the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Alexandre Pato, while the likely arrival of Carlos Tevez will push the teenager even further down the pecking order.

Meanwhile, Koln have found themselves reliant on Lukas Podolski for goals this season and coach Stale Solbakken is eager for another striker to ease the scoring burden on the Germany international.

El Shaarawy has scored one goal in seven Serie A appearances for Milan this season.

Stephan El Shaarawy is prepared to stay at Milan despite a lack of playing time at San Siro so far this season.

The 19-year-old has been linked with a January exit given that he has made just eight League appearances since his summer switch from Genoa.

However, after appearing in last night’s 1-0 derby loss to Inter, the Italian youth international is prepared to be patient.

“A loan move did enter my thinking,” the attacking midfielder, who has an Egyptian father, commented.

“However, although I am not playing, I am improving by training alongside so many champions on a daily basis here.

“I’m being included in a lot of things and I am very happy at this club. I hope to stay here forever.”

The talented youngster, who spent last season on loan at Padova in Serie B, is actually part-owned by Genoa. He was linked with a Marassi return last week.

I'd start him next game. He showed more in the first 10 seconds he was on the pitch than Robinho/Pato/Ibra did all game.

+1. you could see El's reaction after Robinho missed his assist. the kid's full of determination and he does have talent for sure. if I were Allegri, I'd play him. maybe not from the start but I'd give him more than 10 freakin' minutes. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

el sha' should be seen as an AM option as well, surely if Boatang & Emanuelson can play Am, Stephan can definitively add a dimension to the position we haven't seen since Kaka'. Don't misquote me in saying "he is as good as kaka" but they do play very similarly, and with Ibra dropping back most of the time, we need more service to our forwards...

I get what you're saying and I completely agree with you.

If Urby is an AM in Allegri's eyes than everyone is. I still can't get over how stupid it is to play him there. Surely if a bunch of idiots like us can see it, than someone getting paid to do the job can see it as well...

But apparently not (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

You just don't understand it / see it differently.

No reason to talk about stupidity and so.

@HAN: (and this is my understanding of the situation)
Urby is not being seen as the player who makes the final pass...which unfortunately is what we look for in a CAM. He is seen as a player who can move the ball and make interchanges very quickly in the final third. Basically act as a mobile conduit for our attacking orchestra comprising - our strikers and our mid-field runners.

Do I agree with it? No. Because this is a very one-dimensional approach to attack, and while it works swell with small teams, with top teams with top coaches who can change tactics in a snap just like us, we're begging to be shut down.