After a prolonged wait over the summer due to his international commitments, Mike Maignan arrived at Milanello this week as the Frenchman looks ahead to his first season as an AC Milan player.
A successful spell in his homeland culminated in a Ligue 1 title last season with Lille, and now the 26-year-old shot-stopper begins a new challenge in Italy with the Rossoneri.
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He has big shoes to fill as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s successor, and while the Euro 2020 winner’s exit will leave a bitter taste in the mouth for many Milan supporters given his departure on a free transfer, it’s time for all concerned to move on and appreciate what we have in his place.
Maignan is a top-class operator in his position. From his ability to make key saves, his commanding presence in the box and his composure on the ball to allow his side to build from the back, he ticks all the necessary boxes of a modern-day goalkeeper.
His experience at the top level in France will also be important to ensure he can fill the void immediately and have the confidence to showcase his quality as Milan fans begin to return to the stadium this season, and now it’s all about supporting him as he begins to write his own Rossoneri story.
“Donnarumma has made a great contribution to Milan’s positive results. I am now starting my story, I will work very hard to do the same.” he said at his introductory press conference, as per MilanNews.
During the short time he has been at Milan, it’s difficult to not be impressed with the way and the ease with which Maignan has handled everything. The French international has taken everything in his stride, and that is an important character trait on and off the pitch to be successful at the top level.
With a solid defence in front of him looking to build on the positive work they did last season, Milan have a foundation in place to be competitive in Serie A again as well as in the Champions League, and that is perhaps the one area in the current squad where the hierarchy may feel content.
A back-up right-back is arguably the only missing piece, but with Maignan, Davide Calabria, Simon Kjaer, Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez, we have our back five that will be pivotal to our pursuit of success this season.
It’s absolutely vital that communication and cohesiveness is built during pre-season, and so it’s hoped that our new first-choice goalkeeper will be ready to face Nice this weekend to begin to build that understanding and chemistry.
For now though, it’s all about moving forward and getting behind Maignan, and finally leaving the past behind us as while it will still be a huge disappointment for most to see Donnarumma ply his trade elsewhere, everything has fallen into place for a reason and we have another top-class goalkeeper between the posts for the foreseeable future.