Arjen Robben, AC Milan, and Pato: It Takes Two to Tango

By: Julian | April 21st, 2011

Tuttomercato had a short, interesting article up this morning about Arjen Robben and what seems to be a possible/inevitable (depending on how you read it) move to the league leaders. Below is the full translation, which begs the questions: is such a move even likely, and if so, would he be a good fit at a team like Milan?

Arjen is skeptical

Arjen Robben at Milan can be done and is not just fantamercato. This is the assertion of the French Newspaper L’Equipe, according to which the Dutch midfielder is not at all a certainty to remain at Bayern. For some time now, the futures of the player and the club do not seem to coincide, and now other news is filtering in about a fight between him and teammate Thomas Muller. To sponsor the move would be his ex-teammate Van Bommel, but the pricetag is high: about 40 million Euros.

Leaving Bayern thus remains an option- possibly a remote one, but one that seems increasingly likely to occur. First and foremost, Bayern seem to be in flux right now, having recently fired coach Louis Van Gaal. The side are not a certainty to reach the Champions’ League, which could be massive in determining if the potential move occurs. Bayern are currently one point behind Hannover in third- the final Champions’ League qualifying position- but with a game in hand. Even if they should win that and go level, they would be in a very tight race until the end of the season to make it to the Champions’ League qualifying round. Finally, the Muller fight has been well documented and ongoing for a while it seems- he put his hands on the young German’s neck in February.

Thus the move seems possible, if not altogether probable. Yet should the transfer to Milan occur, would he even fit into Serie A? It seems quite likely. Robben is an incredibly talented player- he nearly singlehandedly took Bayern to the Champions’ League trophy last year, including this stunner against Manchester United.

He’d be the type of player that most teams wouldn’t know how to defend against. There are a scarcity of quality wingers in Italy, especially the kind of Arjen’s type: with exceptional pace and dribbling and also fully able to deliver a devastating pass. He’s also capable of playing in a trequartista-like position behind strikers, and thus his versatility would be a great asset to any side, including Milan. In fact, as Tuttomercato/L’Euipe note, the presence of Van Bommel at Milan could be enough to convince the winger to move there over any other club, should a transfer occur.

The real problem seems to be where he’d slot into the Rossoneri’s attack. Massimiliano Allegri’s side already features Antonio Cassano, Robinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pato, and Pippo Inzaghi. The first two were just purchased this season; Ibra is a forced buy this summer; Pato’s truly coming into form; and SuperPippo is SuperPippo. With five strikers that could all stake a claim to starting, plus Kevin Prince Boateng’s emergence as a fantastic forward runner, Robben seems like another headache for Allegri.

Which is why this transfer probably depends fully upon Pato leaving.

Pato would fetch a tremendous amount of money, surely enough to pay for Robben. Money that Milan could really use, given that Marco Borriello’s 10 million transfer to Roma alone wouldn’t cover Ibra’s 24 million dollar pricetag. Furthermore, without worrying about Pato, Robinho and Robben could play as wingers in a system where Ibra stays central. Pippo and Cassano could continue to be options off the bench. It may require Allegri to deviate from his usual formation, but should the transfer occur, Robben seems like a sure bet to nail down a starting spot.

Arjen Robben then could potentially make the move away from Bayern. He could move to Milan, and he could gain a starting spot there as well. There are many potholes on the path to a transfer, however: how Bayern end the season, if Pato leaves, how much money the club has in the summer, and Allegri’s tactical plans. However, when all is said and done, this may just be one headache that Milanisti and Allegri would love having:

Some Related Serie A Posts:

Category: Serie A

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N.S.R

PATO in anytime of choice...
Jose P

two things that i don't get about Robben:
1. his age...this guy must really have falsified his documents because though he may be 27 he looks 42.
2. his "robben" shot...i still don't get how defenders can allow him to cross the grain and pull off that rifle of a shot. you'd think footballers the world over would get wise to his tactics.
i think he'd fit into AC Milan but to give up Pato, to call that stupid would be an understatement.
Jose P

i was just thinking...i'm 27 and i'd look like a teenager next to robben.
jorid22

You have to have been on the receiving end of a lobotomy to even ponder giving up Pato for Robben.
quaazi

Robben's a petulant brat, but he's under contract. Mark my words, he'll stay at Bayern for another season at least... after that, sure, he might go to Serie A for a comfy retirement a la van Bommel.

Not that selling him for around 50 mil or more wouldn't be worth it, what with Bayern having the Golden Boot winner and first-choice german right winger to play the position.
mlisi39

Pato is 5 years and 8 months younger... no way I'm moving him for Robben.

5 years and 8 months from now, there won't be a comparison between the two in my opinion
Comrade

Chiellini will eat Robben for breakfast.
Guest

chiellini sucks dude.
Comrade

Of course, the Italian Footballers' Association is actually solely owned by Chiellini. That's the only possible explanation that he has been winning Serie A defender of the year award three times in a row.

Either that, or you can keep your remove your anti-Chiellini-spray-tinted glasses and you can start appreciating real world.
The Flying Dutchman

The same Chiellini from Euro 2008, when Italy was hammered in a humiliating orange clockwork fashion by the Netherlands 3:0.
The same Chiellini from the Bayern vs Juventus in the 2009-2010 CL return leg, when Bayern hammered Juventus 4:1.

Do you also want to include Buffon, Grosso in this Breakfast fest @ the Stadio Olimpico di Torino?
How about Felipe Melo as the Chef. He could make a great orange marinated breakfast out of Robben?
Ooops 2010 World Cup Semi-Final + Red Card.

Deny it all you want but Robben and his team have always had the upper hand and owned Juventus and their players on every occasion.
And if Robben ends up coming to Italy, it will be no different.
There is no stopping The Flying Dutchman!
jorid22

The Netherlands: Choking in the World Cup and churning out players made of paper (glass is too durable to be compared to Van Persie or Robben) since 1905.

Taken from the comment section of the video of Chiellini ruining Van Persie's season in approximately 4 seconds:

"Unlucky? well, of course you can say so, but he hit him in the shot, who would have survived that tackle better when you get the maybe hardest defender of the world, G. Chiellini, on one of your legs that touches the ground. Chiellini is hard but he has talent, have watched him already, maybe should go to Bayern, we need him, how much Euro does Juventus want ?"

Alkomart 11 months ago
mlisi39

Fly away little birdie....
Comrade

1. Get your facts straight. Materazzi and Barzagli started that game.
2. By 'eating', I meant injuring. It need not be only Chiellini. Could be Samuel/Aronica. Lucky that Van Bommel is on his side all along.

Jeez.. is there a thing like Robben fanbois?
agiamba

"The same Chiellini from Euro 2008, when Italy was hammered in a humiliating orange clockwork fashion by the Netherlands 3:0."

Yes, the same Chiellini that didn't play in that match?

Robben may have demolished Italy in Euro 2008, and Juventus in the 2009-2010 CL, but what did he win with them? ZERU TITULI
The Flying Dutchman

Hey Mr smart-alec, what has Juventus legend Roberto Baggio won?
Well, he won the Europa League in 1993, Coppa Italia (1994-1995) and Serie A (1994-1995) while playing for Juventus but lost the 1994 World Cup to Romario's Brazil, and he missed the penalty (over the bar kick.)
He also won the Seria A with Milan (1995-1996).
So thats 4 major trophies spanning a 12 years career.

Robben, on the other hand, has won in 4 different leagues. The major ones being:
PSV Eindhoven: Eredivisie 2002-2003.
Chelsea: Premeir League 2004-2005, 2005-2006.
Real Madrid: La Liga 2007-2008.
Bayern Munich: Bundesliga 2009-2010.

Of course, he lost the biggest ones like the World Cup 2010 and the CL 2010.

If you choose to measure a player's greatness by the number of trophies he has won, then you are treading a narrow line. Trophies do not make players great. I am sure many players have won the biggest trophies but are not remembered or even known by the general public (Christian Karembeu has won the 1998 World Cup, Euro 2000, 2 Champions League with Real madrid 97-98, 99-00).

So, indeed, Robben may have "ZERO TITULI" this decade just like Roberto Baggio had in the 1990s but that does not take away from their Greatness on the field and their far-reaching impact on the game and the fans they beddazled.

Your hatred for the Netherlands, Dutch players and everything Oranje related is not only obvious, but has clouded your judgement and paralyzed your brain as well.
rosay

i'd take pato over robben any day!
Eitan

Brilliant footballer, but does a team pay 40m and just hope he isn't injured all the time? He's just got a horrible track record with injuries, and we all know what happens to quick, light footed guys in Italy. They stop em by chopping them down.