Pirlo on the move?

[jimmylibel]

Pirlo set for Milan exit

 

Reports emanating from Italy claim Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo is keen for a fresh start, with Spain his favoured destination.

 

The Italian World Cup winner has been strongly linked with a move away from the San Siro after some impressive displays for the Azzurri in Germany.

 

With Milan not involved in next season's UEFA Champions League following their guilty verdict in the match-fixing trial, some of the Rossoneri's biggest names are rumoured to be muttering their dissatisfaction behind the scenes.

 

Pirlo is thought to be one of those unhappy at the prospect of playing only domestic football next season and could be set to leave Milan.

 

A number of the continent's top clubs have been linked with the 27-year-old, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

 

However, Pirlo's admission of his likeness for Spain will alert Real to the possibility of his signature, although Milan are still determined to hold onto their star midfielder, who has two years remaining on his current contract.

 

Milan have yet to comment on the situation but should they relent and allow Pirlo to leave, they would most likely step up their bid to sign Lyon's Mahamadou Diarra as a replacement.

 

Link

 

If it's Spain I presume it will be Real Madrid?

[Guest Anders Honoré]

adding him to barca's midfield woud just be ridiculous.

 

Pirlo, Xavi, Deco/Iniesta might be pinging it around all day, but I reckon it would end up fairly lightweight.

[Guest TanMan]

Think all of those 3 are better than him anyway.

 

If someone as meek as Pirlo is worth the mooted £25m then what price Xabi????

 

I remember thinking he was the weak link against us in the CL final. He never looked like scoring his penalty in a million years

[Rich Gobey]

I remember thinking he was the weak link against us in the CL final. He never looked like scoring his penalty in a million years

 

Only after Hamann came on.

[KBR]

 

If someone as meek as Pirlo is worth the mooted £25m then what price Xabi????

Just goes to show what a steal Xabi was at the £10million we paid. Pirlo is not as good as Xabi, but not far behind, but £25 million is a forking joke. If he goes for that, Xabi is an EASY £30million player.

[ChrisC]

Just goes to show what a steal Xabi was at the £10million we paid. Pirlo is not as good as Xabi, but not far behind, but £25 million is a forking joke. If he goes for that, Xabi is an EASY £30million player.

 

 

 

Romario couldnt make it today....

[madskilz]

Think all of those 3 are better than him anyway.

 

If someone as meek as Pirlo is worth the mooted £25m then what price Xabi????

 

Pirlo is a top quality midfielder, one of the best around.

[madskilz]

Much like Totti he's a talented, but usually anonymous, luxury.

 

One of the best around my a***.

 

What utter rubish, have you actually seen Pirlo play?

 

He is nothing like Totti, he is the backbone of Milan side and along with Cannavro is one of the main reasons Italy won the World Cup. He'd walk into almost any team in the world.

[growler]

Prefer Kaka myself.

 

Pirlo is a great player, but for us, I think Xabi is better. Also wouldn't get into Barca midfield.

 

Of course, Chelsea and spurs willb e looking to add to their midfield mountains

[Suth]

Pirlo is top class! he was one of the best players at the world cup and is always a great player to watch.

 

how wouldnt he get into to the barca midfield? you are joking he would be perfect along side Xavi, any team would want pirlo in my opinion.

Edited July 18, 2006 by Suth

[StevieC]

Pirlo is top class! he was one of the best players at the world cup and is always a great player to watch.

 

how wouldnt he get into to the barca midfield? you are joking he would be perfect along side Xavi, any team would want pirlo in my opinion.

 

 

He's so lightweight they'd be overpowered. They've got Xavi to act as playmaker and he's as good at moving the ball as anyone. In fact, he's be hard pushed to shify Deco who's got decent movement as part of his armoury.

[Gilps]

They had to cheat to get past the Aussies.

 

Getting dull now, but....

 

IT. WAS. A. PENALTY.

[madaboutlfc]

Pirlo is world class, no doubt.

 

He is equal to (if not better) Xabi in his passing game. Simply amazing.

 

If Real got him he'd be fantastic for them, I'm afraid.

sorry.. what does Pirlo have from you to deserve this favour.. Pirlo is a decent midfielder who is very good at set pieces.. he is no way world class and is no where near Alonso..

 

It must be the footballing miracle of all time that Italy just won the world cup, given how limited everyone seems to think all their plaers are.

 

Pirlo is a class act.

ofcourse it is.. 20% of the teams in top league were proven to be bent...

[Gilps]

Still bitter, madaboutlfc?

 

[StevieC]

I take it you didn't watch him at the world cup.

 

Don't think he is anonymous at all. I was disappointed with Kaka for Milan in the CL in that I felt he got too easily marked out of games when it got tough, but Pirlo delivers the goods.

 

I'd say his passing is about on par with Xabi's. He doesn't have quite the same accuracy on 40 yard passes, but he is more creative.

 

Watched him with great interest as he was constantly hyped and wasn't particularly impressed. A good player but not half as good as you'd think he was by the way certain pundits went on which ironically enough seems to be where many here have got their views from too.

 

Watching Xabi against France was watching a master in action yet he seemed to pass under everyone's radar which makes me think that Pirlo is another player de jour that some pundits have picked up on and started a massive daisy chain which has crept onto the internet.

[madaboutlfc]

Still bitter, madaboutlfc?

 

bitter about bent cheats propering... never..

international football sucks anyway..

[Leo No.8]

Pirlo is a hugely talented footballer, but one whose style very much suits the slower build-up of Italian, International and European football. I think he'd be well advised to stay in Italy, in fact just stay with Milan full stop.

 

In my opinion he'd be very unsuited to the English game in the same way Veron turned out to be. Veron looked fantastic in Italy with his passing range and control of the game, but just couldn't cut it here. I'd even have question marks over Pirlo playing in Spain.

 

Before someone mentions him as being a similar kind of player, I'd say Xabi is more robust than Pirlo, younger as well and has proved more capable of adapting to a different culture and game, which he has done brilliantly on both counts.

 

Italians rarely travel because their game often isn't suited to doing so; good player though he is, I'd love the Mancs to spend a huge chunk of their budget on Pirlo, because I think it'd prove another expensive mistake.

 

Gattuso on the other hand I really don't want them to get...

[StevieC]

Well put Leo.

 

As far as Gattuso is concerned, he could be the Mancs new Keane and provide them with the player they need to build a team around.

 

Going back to the wet fish at the core of this debate- it's no coincidence that he needs a nutter with him in midfield to be in any way effective which is precisely why a Barca midfield (even with Marquez behind them) would be toothless with him there.

[Guz]

Watched him with great interest as he was constantly hyped and wasn't particularly impressed. A good player but not half as good as you'd think he was by the way certain pundits went on which ironically enough seems to be where many here have got their views from too.

 

Watching Xabi against France was watching a master in action yet he seemed to pass under everyone's radar which makes me think that Pirlo is another player de jour that some pundits have picked up on and started a massive daisy chain which has crept onto the internet.

 

Funilly enough while everyone was waxing lyrical about Kaka after Istanbul, in an interview a few days after, Rafa said it was Pirlo who ripped us apart in the first half. He said everything Milan did went through him and he had to bring Didi on to stop Pirlo getting the ball and doing anything with it. Stop Pirlo and stop Milan it was that night but I can remember him passing under everyone's radar too. It was Kaka this and Kaka that

[Leo No.8]

Funilly enough while everyone was waxing lyrical about Kaka after Istanbul, in an interview a few days after, Rafa said it was Pirlo who ripped us apart in the first half. He said everything Milan did went through him and he had to bring Didi on to stop Pirlo getting the ball and doing anything with it. Stop Pirlo and stop Milan it was that night but I can remember him passing under everyone's radar too. It was Kaka this and Kaka that

 

I think we were all just suffering so much, no-one really took in fully just who it was that was taking us apart, it pretty much seemed like all of them.

 

I think the reason people picked out Kaka was quite simply because wheras numerous players had been pulling the strings throughout, absolutely everyone noticed it was him who played that killer ball to Crespo for their third goal right on half time - one of the finest passes you could ever wish to see in terms of vision, accuracy and weight...

Edited July 18, 2006 by Leo No.8

[Cooldude]

Funilly enough while everyone was waxing lyrical about Kaka after Istanbul, in an interview a few days after, Rafa said it was Pirlo who ripped us apart in the first half. He said everything Milan did went through him and he had to bring Didi on to stop Pirlo getting the ball and doing anything with it. Stop Pirlo and stop Milan it was that night but I can remember him passing under everyone's radar too. It was Kaka this and Kaka that

 

Both Pirlo and Kaka carved us up

 

Pirlo's a two trick pony: A long pass and a dead ball, that's all he has. Two marvelous tricks though and hugely damaging if left unattended. But when he's been given extra attention, he has always disappeared. 2nd half Istanbul for example, when Gerrard taught him a lesson.

 

I think he's a wonderful player if played to his strengths though, but he should never leave Italy.

Edited July 18, 2006 by Cooldude

[StevieC]

Funilly enough while everyone was waxing lyrical about Kaka after Istanbul, in an interview a few days after, Rafa said it was Pirlo who ripped us apart in the first half. He said everything Milan did went through him and he had to bring Didi on to stop Pirlo getting the ball and doing anything with it. Stop Pirlo and stop Milan it was that night but I can remember him passing under everyone's radar too. It was Kaka this and Kaka that

 

 

and when Didi appeared- he disappeared.

 

Hardly a world class trait to be taken so easily out of a game.

[Cooldude]

and when Didi appeared- he disappeared.

 

Hardly a world class trait to be taken so easily out of a game.

 

Not the first to disappear when the Kaiser got his number and won't be the last

[StevieC]

Not the first to disappear when the Kaiser got his number and won't be the last

 

 

Any player that can stick with his slow movement can take him out of the game.

 

I reckon even Traore could do it if given the job.

 

The more I think about it, the more he seems to resemble Beckham as a player.

[Cooldude]

He's a better passer and technically better player than Beckham