BREAKING: Pato to Milan
By: Martha | August 2nd, 2007
Direct from the Milan website:
ALEXANDRE PATO TO MILAN!
8/2/2007MILANO - The great talent Alexandre Pato will train with Milan and will be able to play the friendly matches starting from the 3rd of September 2007. From the 3rd of January 2008 onwards he will also be able to play in the official games.
Wow, what a coup for Galliani — and what better way to rub Real’s face in the fact that Kaka won’t join them than to beat them to the punch for the newest Brazilian boy wonder, too?
Will update with details as they emerge.
Edit: According to the Brazilian press, Milan paid $20 million for Pato, who will arrive in Milan tomorrow to sign a five-year deal worth, if I’m understanding the translation correctly, $10 million/season. Good LORD. Is that possible? He’s going to be one rich 17-year-old once that January birthday rolls around.
Edit the second: After playing with the translation more, I think it’s $10 million over the five years. Thank goodness — still a rich 17-year-old, but not Scrooge McDuck rich.
Category: 
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share
      |
Comments
-
Nice pick-up by Milan. The good thing about this is that it goes to show that Serie A is not at all losing its appeal, if the most highly regarded prospect of the moment signs with an Italian team. Maybe he realized players rot at Madrid, though they do get paid well to do so…
Posted from
United States
-
I assume Milan have actually spoken with the player/agent before announcing this time (unlike with Suazo)?
And while the media has occasionally compared Pato to Kaka, I’ve always thought he had more stylistic similarities to Shevchenko, so this transfer is somehow fitting. Congrats to Milan, good day for Serie A as well.
Posted from
United States -
Didn’t see that edit, but 10 million a season is crazy, totally impossible. Supposedly they’re afraid of paying Kaka’ more than what he currently gets for fear of creating locker room jealousies!
Posted from
United States -
Good point about the appeal of Serie A, Gianni, it’s a good sign indeed. And I edited again — I think it’s $10 million over the length of the contract. Phew.
And RT, god do I hope so. It apparently showed up first in the Brazilian press, then on the Milan site. Haven’t seen it anywhere else yet, but it’s only a matter of time now. We’ll see if it ends up Real in a week ….
Posted from
United States -
Big coup for Milan. The kid can play and will be worth a lot more than that five years from now.
Posted from
United States -
the kid is great.
Posted from
United States -
This kid is really skilled and I’m very interested to see what kind of results he can produce. It will be tough on him because the quality of the team will limit his minutes initially, and if he is getting paid that kind of a salary expectations will be for him to produce and produce quickly.
P.S I can’t seem to comment on the Fiorentina blog since I’m not “logged in”. What does that mean and how do I do it (since it is killing me that I can’t comment on a new blog for the Viola). Don’t worry Martha - I’ll still be stopping by here. Where else can I learn facts like Mrs. Zambrotta may need back surgery in the very near future to hold those things up?
Posted from
United States -
tmc, I hacked the system so that you will never be able to log in over there, because I’m convinced that if you do you’ll leave us forever. You may as well stop trying.
(Ok, really I have no idea — my login applies across the Offside network, it’s odd that yours doesn’t. Do you accept cookies and everything?)
Posted from
United States -
Yeah, I seem to be able to comment on any other offside blog except that one - but I don’t know that I’m ever “logged in” to the offside network.
I’m not that awesome at computers so this is probably very easy but I can’t seem to figure it out.
Posted from
United States -
So what happens when you try to log in? It rejects your info, or what? You might just try to create a new account, if it offers that option, and give the same info (though it might make you use another password) you use everywhere else so you can comment there under a recognizable name.
Posted from
United States -
Ok Martha - Here’s what I guess is happening.
I don’t have a login account because when I ask for my password they say that my login name and email address don’t match.
So, how does one get an account at the offside?
Posted from
United States -
That is so weird, tmc, I have no idea what’s going on. Let me see if I can get some info from the people on the back-end; meantime I’d suggest just creating a new account (with your same name, so we know who you are, but with a new password, etc) so you can start clean.
Posted from
United States -
Sounds good. Thanks for the help and I’ll see whether I can figure it out.
Posted from
United States -
But the thing, Martha, is that you don’t need an account for the Offside. You just write your name (whatever name you want) and your email, but you can make those up. Try logging off and trying to access the Fiorentina blog, it does it to me as well.
Posted from
United States -
See, when I go to comment, I see “Logged in as Martha” above the comment box, which suggests the system creates an account for your the first time you comment (maybe). Do you not see that, Gianni? (I’m afraid to log out and see what it looks like because I don’t want to end up stuck like tmc.)
Posted from
United States -
Nope, it only logs you in if you’re a writer. Don’t worry about it, I’ll email Bob or something. Thanks anyway
Posted from
United States -
I emailed him earlier today about it, too; will let you and tmc know what I hear.
Posted from
United States -
That makes sense.
Although Gianni could have inadvertently started up a new “high concept” blog. A Fiorentina blog, with commenting privileges strictly going out to other offside bloggers. In which case I’d have to either assist in the Fiorentina blog or start up my own.
Posted from
United States -
Well, that might be a little counter-productive :D. But I appreciate your enthusiasm tmc. Hopefully by tomorrow it’ll be fixed.
Posted from
United States -
I hope Pato starts pushing Gila, Ronni, and Pippo for a starting position come January. He had some great moments during last year’s Club WC and at the U-20 WC. There’s potential in this kid, but also some quality already.
Posted from
United States -
oh good lord halle-freakin-lujah… if we didnt this kid we would be getting no one whatsoever… 1 inconsistent and 2 injury prone strikers hardly strikes the fear into defences…
and yes im not getting excited until i see him in milan jersey and everything..Posted from
India -
Just kind of amazed that Milan actually won a transfer race.
Posted from
India
Comments are closed
Home 
