Pastore to leave Italy?

As August approaches the excitement and anticipation grows as the time when Mr. X will be finally revealed edges closer. Milan’s transfer campaign, once it comes to an end, will be remembered for the club’s ever elusive hunt for this Mr. and maybe we could remember it as ‘The Summer Hunt for Mr. X’.

Though we wait anxiously for the club to announce who this player will be, presumably only after he is signed, there was a worrying sentiment expressed by our transfer guru Andrea Galliani after he said, “we have found our Mr. X, but, that is not to say that he will arrive”.

Nothing could agitate Milan fans more than such statements, at least me anyway. Galliani could have at least said that he will not arrive until a certain point of time, but that he will arrive in the end. What his statement infers is that the club, though having identified the player they want, may not necessarily get him and maybe no player will arrive at all.

If Galliani is unable to get his first choice Mr. X, then fine, the first choice player does not arrive. But, there needs to be a plan B. That is, there needs to be a Mr. X regardless whether it is Pastore, Ganso or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ganso, Cesc and Pastore are the names that have often been linked with the club. Riccardo Montolivo also looks an increasing possibility, but, I hope he is not our Mr. X because he does not possess that X-factor that is seemingly necessary to be called Mr. X.

Though this is a mystery that still abounds, it has become clearer in the last few days that Javier Pastore will not be our man. Palermo’s preposterous President Maurizio Zamperini has stated that he does not wish to sell his Argentine star to another Italian club for he does not want his side to face him.

As an aside, fair enough.  Though he should realise that by selling him to another league he is only lessening the competitiveness of Italian clubs in Europe. As of this season the Serie A will only be awarded three Champions League spots because of the declining performances of Italian clubs in recent years. For this reason, if Zamperini had an inkling about the bigger picture, he would see why it would be good to keep Pastore in the Serie A. Better Italian clubs, better performances in Europe and maybe four CL spots again before long. This can only be good for Palermo for it is a club that at best can aim for third or fourth place with the difference between the two positions potentially in excess of some €25 million. This is the logic that Zamperini fails to see.

In defence of this predominantly indefensible character if he makes his decision purely on economic matters then good for him. Now, it seems Chelsea are in the driving seat to sign Pastore amidst rumours relating to PSG and Manchester City too. My bet is Chelsea.

To get back to the point, we can perhaps forget about Pastore becoming a Milanista. Though it is unfortunate, it was always going to be difficult discussing terms favourable to Milan with Zamperini.

Nonetheless, there are still options for Milan. The Brazilian Ganso still remains our best option because of the potential he possesses, the fact he is Brazilian and the fact that Milan can afford him. Interestingly, rumours have again spun linking Cesc Fabregas to the club. I would always be happy to welcome the Spaniard. He is utter class and would be perfect in Allegri’s system. Yet, it still seems unlikely because of his unceasing desire to return to his boyhood roots at Barcelona.