Mattia Caldara is set to leave AC Milan this summer in what will be the latest disappointing chapter in his time with the Rossoneri.
The 27-year-old joined us in 2018 but injuries have ensured that as things stand, he has made just two appearances for the club, having also returned to Atalanta on loan last season.
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After being tipped to be the long-term solution in the heart of the Milan backline alongside Alessio Romagnoli at the time of his arrival, that expectation and hope has rapidly turned into frustration and disappointment, as it appears as though any chance of salvaging something from his time with us is over.
As per MilanNews, Caldara is set to join Venezia on an initial loan move for the season, while they will have an option to buy included in the agreement worth €4m.
Provided the Italian defender can stay healthy and fully fit, it’s expected that he will show enough quality to earn a permanent switch particularly with that price-tag in mind, although perhaps much will depend on Venezia’s ability to avoid the drop back to Serie B in the upcoming campaign.
From a Milan perspective though, it’s incredibly disappointing to see him fail to eventually come good, such was the hope surrounding his signing from Juventus having been tipped to be one of the leading defensive talents in Serie A.
The last few years won’t have been a more frustrating period for any one else other than Caldara himself, with the injury problems proving to be a real heartache for him as he approaches the peak years of his career.
With that in mind, it’s hoped that he can steer clear of any further setbacks this season and is able to play consistently and have a real shot at getting back to the levels that he displayed prior to his move to us, as there is no doubt that he was a genuine emerging star at Atalanta.
While Milan move on with Fikayo Tomori, Simon Kjaer, Romagnoli and others now vying for a starting berth in defence, there will always be a question of ‘what if’ had Caldara managed to avoid his injury woes and fought for his place in the side in the last two campaigns.
It seemingly wasn’t meant to be as a Milan player, but time is still on his side to prove his ability for Venezia and show that he can still offer a huge amount in the right environment moving forward.
