Monday, 15th October, 2012
AC Milan sporting director Ariedo Braida admits that he is keeping a close eye on the development of Marseille defender Nicolas N’Koulou.
Milan allowed Thiago Silva to leave for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer and have been criticised for not adequately replacing the Brazilian.
relatedNewsStoryThe Italian giants had tried to buy Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa from Montpellier, but were priced out of a move.
The new big thing in French football is N’Koulou, with the defender being praised by former Marseille stopper Stephane Mbia as even better that Silva.
A Cameroon international, the 22-year-old has been linked with many of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Arsenal, Barcelona and Manchester City.
And N’Koulou’s talents have not escaped Milan’s sporting director.
"I keep an eye on him, I’ve watched him since when he was at Monaco", Braida told French daily La Provence.
"I saw his first game in a Monaco shirt and we watched him", he added.
Braida played down thoughts of an imminent swoop for N’Koulou however and even admitted that, if another defender was needed at the San Siro, the Cameroon star could prove to be a much too expensive option. And even if he were affordable, he would need to be thoroughly scouted first.
"For now, we have six central defenders, but we watch him, just as we watch others.
"Today it is not as easy to buy as it once was, the players are very expensive.
"Maybe we’d buy a great defender, but we need to watch first, because it is very important to understand the level of a player. One can be perfect for Valenciennes or Nice, but we need players for the next level.
"We must watch several times even if we are interested in a player like N’Koulou.
"Italy is complicated, in the January transfer window there is not the means to pull off a transfer of this kind. It would not be until next season."
Milan will surely find it difficult to snap up N’Koulou if they do decide to move for the defender, with Marseille desperate to keep hold of their young gem.
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