Stephan El Shaarawy to Monaco: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More

Monaco have completed the signing of Italy international Stephan El Shaarawy from Milan, the Ligue 1 club confirmed (in French) on Monday.  

The 22-year-old will look to rekindle his career with the principality club after a difficult time of things with the Rossoneri, with the player speaking about his move after the announcement, per Monaco's official website (via Football Italia):

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“It’s a great feeling to sign here in Monaco. I am very happy and excited,” the Little Pharaoh told the official club website.

“I thank the President of AS Monaco for this opportunity and hope to have a great season. I want to make the fans happy.”

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“We are very proud to welcome Stephan El Shaarawy, whose arrival marks the highlight of our recruitment strategy,” added CEO Vadim Vasilyev.

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El Shaarawy had his medical with Monaco on Monday, per David Amoyal of GianlucaDiMarzio.com:

Here’s a reminder of what El Shaarawy is capable of at his very best:

When the winger first burst onto the scene at Milan, he seemed set for stardom. With his extravagant hairstyles, he’d bustle down the flanks with a real swagger at the San Siro, cutting inside with a dazzling incision and getting among the goals on a regular basis.

Indeed, as noted by the Associated Press (h/t the Guardian), El Shaarawy was the top scorer in Serie A at the midpoint of the 2012-13 season, but since then, injury problems have really hampered his development. According to WhoScored.com, the winger has only made 15 starts for the Italian giants over the past two seasons.

As we can see here, courtesy of WhoScored.com, even when he has got out onto the pitch, El Shaarawy has struggled to find a prolific edge:

Monaco could be the ideal club to trigger a turnaround in fortunes for the player. Some new surroundings and fresh incentives may be what El Shaarawy needs to refocus on his football and finally scale the heights he showcased as a capricious but enthralling young player.

Bleacher Report’s Matteo Bonetti thinks that if he can stay fit, the Azzurri star will be a fine player for Monaco:

It’s easy to forget just how young El Shaarawy is, but at 22, there’s still plenty of time for him to re-establish his reputation as a high-calibre forward.

After the departure of Yannick Ferreira Carrasco to Atletico Madrid, Monaco were crying out for an injection of quality in the wide areas. El Shaarawy is a player that will get the supporters excited at the Stade Louis II, and if he can retain his fitness levels throughout the 2015-16 season, expect plenty to be revering the former Milan man as one of European football’s brightest prospects once again.