So, Pogba tweets (probably with directions from Raiola) to defend Dolla, Fassone sets a dead line for Dolla and Genoas SD adds the pressure to him:

Genoa's sporting director: "If Milan doesn't change their mind for Donnarumma, then this week we'll close the deal for Perin."

I love this saga (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I absolutely do not get your logic R7

From Milan's perspective:

It's not about being sentimental, it's about him costing us big money by pulling this stupid stunt. Like Fassone said, if he wanted to leave, we could have arranged for a renewal with a reasonable release clause so that both parties are happy with the final outcome. with this move Raiola and Dolla have completely shafted the club who made all this possible for him. How can you not see that? Once again, it's not about being sentimental, the last player i was sad to see leaving was Kaka because I was younger and my heart was tied to him, just like with Sheva. I'm mad as f@ck that the club won't at least get something in return for opening so many doors to this ingrate.


From Dolla's perspective:

He's 18 years oold, he's still prone to making errors, still needs time to mature and get better, he won't be afforded that kind of time at a club like Real where players like Ronaldo (both of them) get booed. At Milan we made excuses for him (ask Danny how much I defended his sorry @ss after each mistake). This is the absolute worst decision he could have made for his footballing career. The smart decision would have been to renew for the huge contract we were offering and re-assess in a couple of years. He would have been more mature and able to make the decision on his own without being coerced by his moneywhore of an agent. Raiola only worked to look out for his own interests and not those of his client. Tell me this, do you think if he has a bad season at Real all we be covered over? He'd be thrown away just like all the players who have failed there in the past. At Milan he had everything a young player could ever need to grow into his full potential, everyone loved him, treated him well, was going to get a much bigger contract than he truly deserved, would have been entrusted with the captaincy and could have had an opportunity to reach iconic status with his boyhood club. What the f@ck else could anyone want??

Also, you're talking as if you're sure the interest from Real is concrete. But so for we have not seen anything to indicate so. I think they're far more interest in getting De Gea in

It's turning into a circus, but the general consensus that I'm getting from the twittersphere is that people (even neutrals) are general on Milan's side, so we're coming out looking much better than the other party in this whole saga

Yes, but what is that worth ? If we are going to loose a potential star for 0m, why do we need simpathy for ?

It's not about sympathy, it's about image and what is portrayed out there

During the final years under Silvio we were steadily becoming a laughing stock, club presidents saying we tried to buy their player with a crate of bananas. Let's not forget the entire sagas involving Monto, Honda etc we literally p!ssed off everyone thanks to Galliani's shady tactics plus being chummy with the wrong agents (case in point Raiola)

It's good to be seen as a big club being run by professionals again who won't be willing to bend over to the will of an agent.

Fassone was clear from the start on Milan's position, we also went public with how much we were offering him in wages which made him look even worse. I think Fassone has played this perfectly, from the point of that press conference last week up till now.

Yes. I think the management backing each other, and being 100% transparent is a huge factor now in why things are being seen differently.

There's also a general distaste setting in for money-hungriness in footballers and Gigio-Raiola has just not managed to convince people otherwise.

I also want to say I'm more than happy to have Perin in. So a line-up of Perin, Plizzari and Storari is great. I'd even say get one more GK in (maybe Gabriel). I'd like Plizzari to continue to play in the Primavera and join up with the squad next year once this whole Gigio storm has weathered over - so he'll be less under pressure.


I realise now, once I take my fan emotions out of the picture - we really don't lose much quality wise if Gigio leaves. Perin is probably as good a keeper if not better than Gigio is CURRENTLY. Of course Gigio has a chance at being a legend, but that is a long way away.

STATEMENT From Curva Sud:

“After [Italian President Sergio] Mattarella on December 31, it’s time for the unified speech by Mino Raiola on all the sports channels,” a statement from Curva Sud Milano begins, referencing the traditional end of year address by the Italian President.

“Obviously with his handpicked journalists, with previously agreed questions and all pre-recorded, because it should never be a real debate with real questions.

“It seems strange to see Raiola, who has always shunned the Press, opening his doors and trying to save the impossible.

“It seems strange to hear words like ‘hostile climate’, ‘forcing’, and ‘threats’ that translate financially to €25m in five years, the captain’s armband and six months of reflections to get to June and say they feel hurried.

“It’s seems strange to hear about a hostile climate for a lad who is the first Milan player in many years to have his own song from the fans and so much love from every single Milan fan.

“It seems strange to learn from Raiola that there was no discussion of wages or the length of the contract. Maybe because in the famous game of ‘the compensation that would be paid to Milan will go to me’, some elementary things have no value.

“It seems strange that Raiola, with his polished Italian and infinite culture, did not comprehend the simple meaning of a banner to which he referred!

“It seems strange that such a great agent was unable to represent the interests of his client.

“Instead he destroyed his image not only in the eyes of Milan fans, but of all football fans, who now find that an 18-year-old can be irreconcilable with the club which launched him in the sole interest of a man behind him, promising mountains of money.

“It seems strange that, just a few days after the farewell of Francesco Totti, in tears in front of his fans, a lad of 18 would prefer money to being treated as a God by his fans.

“For a sportsman, the gratitude of the fans has no financial value, and we invite Donnarumma to reflect upon what he has denied himself for the rest of his career.

“It doesn’t seem strange to us that Raiola didn’t explain how everything changed so fast.

“It doesn’t seem strange to us that a club symbol who really wanted to be one [Marek Hamsik] moved away from this character, becoming captain of the club [Napoli] he chose to love.

“It doesn’t seem strange even to try and cast old condors [Adriano Galliani] in a good light, who say they want the best for Milan having placed one who could have been a club symbol for the future in the hands of a vulture, so now he is merely the symbol of easy money.

“The actual reality of football is increasingly far from the passion of the people and closer to Raiola-style characters, figures capable of conditioning whole careers and histories of the most important clubs with one goal: their own self-interest.

“We want to thank those who are working for the good of Milan, and have brought people with Rossoneri values back to the club, people who really meant it when they kissed the badge and deserved it when they received affection.

“We know it must have been difficult for the lad to defend himself from the thousands of criticism and insults he’s received in the past few days, but when you swear love and betray it, that’s all that can happen.

“On social media it’s likely that things have been over the top, and of course we don’t think threats are right, they have nothing to do with our position.

“We believe there may still be a chance to rebuild things, but it’s now linked to the expulsion for his affairs of those who pushed him in a bad direction, ruining his image.

“Players come and go, the club and the fans will always remain.”

Neah. Milan management may have its faults, but Raiola really blew this one and is now losing the PR battle (not just my opinion, BTW). As it stands, he now faces the likelihood that Dolla will sit out the year (and in fact he has made it easier for Milan to do that, as management now has a legit reason to not play him, one that will probably stand up in court). Milan loses big, but after sitting on the bench for a year, Dolla is unlikely to play in the WC and if he ever makes it to Real or any of his choice destinations, it will not be as a starter. So Dolla loses big as well. And at "parametro zero", Raiola loses too (though he clearly can afford it, as he is the one making this about "principle" and not money).

Raiola's handling of the situation was pitiful, starting with his insulting the new Milan ownership months ago (why? what did he gain by that?) all the way to yesterday's press circus, which only sunk him deeper in a hole.

Indeed. Real wants De Gea, not Dolla. Raiola has f****ed Milan, but he has also f****ed Dolla. As it stands, he will now sit for a year, will miss WC, and (as a result) he will be a lot less attractive to other clubs. If he ends up at Real (a big"if") he for sure will not be a starter. The fact that he is "parametro zero" will make him attractive to many clubs, but the fact that he has not played a year will exclude any big name (at least as a starter). So, exactly, how have these actions helped Dolla? Only "winner" is Raiola, as he has enough money that he does not really care, and (in his mind) he has shown Milan who is boss.

Thought you/Milan didn't care about the money we'd be losing out on?

To me my earlier opinion stands.

Danny I never said that, I think you don't read my comments at all.

Exactly what money is Milan losing out on? What legit offers have we received? I have yet to see anything. Real, PSG, and Juve all have plans that do not include Dolla.

Official statements have been made leaving the door open. All we have is rumors that the Chinese owners do not want to sell. I am inclimed to believe there may be something to these rumors, but there has been no confirmation (and in fact the official statements contradict them).

The fact remains that there are no offers for Dolla. Teams will just wait for when he is "parameter zero".

Donnarumma and Milan may not be finished yet. There could be a meeting with his family tomorrow. Milan have stalled negotiations for a new goalkeeper, as there are signs of a reopining of negotiations with Donnarumma. Raiola's brother will travel to Poland to speak with Donnarumma to know his intentions. #Sky

Don't see how we can have a long term relationship at this point. Certainly not unless Dolla is willing to throw Raiola under the bus, and I don't see Raiola letting that happen.

My apologies, I mixed you up with Forza Milan.