Italian central midfielder Andrea Bertolacci, 24, finalised a captivating transfer from Roma to AC Milan.

It’s the platform Bertolacci needs to transition into a star.

 

Bertolacci Transfer Details

Suffering a public relations own goal due to the Geoffrey Kondogbia switcheroo, AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani invested heavily in Bertolacci.

Genoa and Roma shared Bertolacci’s playing rights.

After a career-defining campaign as an integral component in Genoa’s sixth-placed finish, Roma bought out Bertolacci’s contract for €8.5 million (£6 million), per Roma’s website (h/t Ben Gladwell at ESPN FC).

Galliani presented Roma a quick cash-grab opportunity, per David Amoyal at Gianluca Di Marzio’s website:

• €20 million (£14.2 million) transfer fee. 
• Galliani temporarily diverts attention away from the Kondogbia embarrassment by announcing the signing of Bertolacci.
  
• Roma make an easy €11.5 million (£8.2 million) profit.

The deal heavily favours Bertolacci’s bank account.

He was earning around €600,000 (£430,962) per year at Genoa, per Carlo Laudisa at La Gazzetta dello Sport.

According to Amoyal, AC Milan will pay about €2 million (£1.4 million) per year to Bertolacci, which elevates to €3 million (£2.2 million) per year if the Rossoneri qualify for the UEFA Champions League. 

“It was always my first choice to come here. Galliani showed great enthusiasm to sign me,” Bertolacci said, per AC Milan’s website (h/t Sky Sports). “I have always said to CEO Adriano Galliani that I wanted to come here and it’s a great feeling to see it happen.”

 

Bertolacci Tendencies

Naturally left-footed, Bertolacci is able to shoot with either foot, as 31.2 per cent of his Serie A goals have come via his right foot since the 2010/11 season.

Despite being a technically gifted shooter, Bertolacci failed to convert 85.1 per cent of scoring chances, per Squawka.

Bertolacci’s shooting accuracy is inefficient (37.1 per cent).

There were 45 Serie A players, including Fiorentina centre-back Gonzalo Rodriguez (seven goals), who outscored Bertolacci (six goals) last season.

If Bertolacci is burdened with scoring responsibilities, AC Milan cannot justify spending €20 million (£14.2 million) on him.

It is overspending.

But what drew AC Milan to Bertolacci was his imaginative playing style.

Possessing nifty change of pace and an abundance of flair, Bertolacci produces a positive outcome 77 per cent of the time he isolates the opposing defender in one-on-one situations, per Wyscout.

Compared to Juventus (72 goals), Lazio (71 goals) and Napoli (70 goals), AC Milan’s attack (56 goals) was stagnant.

AC Milan’s leading creator last season was Ignazio Abate (six assists), a right-back. 

Signing Bertolacci, who registered eight assists last season, injects much-needed creativity into AC Milan. 

How will Bertolacci fit tactically?

In Genoa’s 3-2 win over Inter Milan, Bertolacci started as a central midfielder in a 3-4-3, which morphed into a 3-4-1-2.

Genoa manager Gian Piero Gasperini began with a 3-4-3 in 63.2 per cent of Serie A games.

When Gasperini alternated to a 4-3-3 in a 1-0 win over AC Milan, the average positioning of the Genoa players resembled a 4-2-1-3.

Bertolacci was the most advanced midfielder.

Flanked by left-central midfielder Juraj Kucka and right-central midfielder Stefano Sturaro, Bertolacci functioned as a quasi-No. 10.

Gasperini’s tactical adjustment provided Bertolacci the freedom to get himself into advantageous attacking positions, per Wyscout: “Operating as a roving playmaker, he found space intelligently.”

Bertolacci was in the zone in the attacking half, scoring and creating a combined 14 goals (six goals and eight assists).

If treated similarly to Roberto Soriano, Bertolacci can adapt to AC Milan manager Sinisa Mihajlovic’s system.

Managing Sampdoria at the time, Mihajlovic afforded Soriano some flexibility, as he switched between No. 8 and No. 10.

During a 2-2 draw against AC Milan, Mihajlovic started Soriano as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3.

However, Sampdoria’s formation shifted into a 4-2-1-3.

Alfred Duncan and Pedro Obiang formed the “2,” while Soriano was the “1” in the 4-2-1-3.

Duncan and Obiang complemented Soriano, who drifted into a central attacking midfield role.

The advantage of playing Bertolacci in a free role is that he wins back the ball in the attacking half.

He is a more prolific tackler than Giacomo Bonaventura and Keisuke Honda.

“I spoke on the phone with new coach Mihajlovic and he has a great desire to bring back an AC Milan side of true greatness,” Bertolacci said, per AC Milan’s website (h/t Sky Sports). “I’m ready to prove myself.”

Bertolacci now faces the demanding task of living up to his €20 million (£14.2 million) transfer valuation.

 

+allanjiang.

When not specified, statistics via WhoScored. 

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