Assessing What New Signing Gianluca Lapadula Will Bring to AC Milan

Last summer, AC Milan’s transfer activity had a grandiose air about it. There was talk of a return to the UEFA Champions League and of challenging for the scudetto as the club went about spending more than any other club in Serie A.

This summer’s work began in much quieter fashion, however.

On Saturday afternoon, Milan confirmed the signature of Gianluca Lapadula via the official club website. Before undergoing a medical, the player spoke of his enthusiasm about agreeing terms that tie him to the Rossoneri until 30 June 2019.

“I am very happy, and I thank president (Silvio) Berlusconi and (Adriano) Galliani,” he said. “It was a deal that happened in a flash, strongly desired by both sides, and rightly so.”

The transfer came out of nowhere.

Lapadula, who joined from Pescara, had been linked to multiple Serie A clubs including champions Juventus, 2015-16 runners-up Napoli and Sassuolo, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia), though he eventually settled on Milan.

His former club’s president, Daniele Sebastiani, admitted that even he didn’t see the move coming, telling Radio Crc (h/t Football Italia):

"

I spoke to (Napoli sporting director Cristiano) Giuntoli about Lapadula until 2am, as I was convinced the lad could only choose between Napoli and Genoa. I spoke to Adriano Galliani 10 days ago and he expressed how much he liked Lapadula, but Milan had to first of all focus on selling. Evidently something happened and I don’t know if they spoke to his agents.

This is what Lapadula is like, he has a heart of gold, but also his own ideas. I tried calling him yesterday, but his phone was switched off. I hope he’ll give me a call.

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Now, with a protracted transfer saga at a close, Milan fans will be wondering exactly who their new signing is and whether he will be a positive addition to their squad.

Lapadula spent last season with Pescara in Serie B, helping the club—who are incidentally coached by former Rossonero Massimo Oddo—to promotion via the play-offs. The Delfini were the second-highest scoring team in Italy’s second tier, and the 26-year-old’s contribution was absolutely integral to that achievement.

The left-footed striker found the net an incredible 30 times in 44 league appearances, notching a further three in cup competitions. He was his team’s leading scorer by quite a distance and deservedly earned covetous glances from clubs higher up in calcio’s echelons.

Nonetheless, there is no notion that he arrives ready-made for Serie A football. Indeed, prior to his year with Pescara, there were few obvious indicators that Lapadula would ever make it at the top level.

Released by Juventus as a boy, he spent the formative years of his career with lower-league clubs such as Pro Vercelli and Ivrea, failing to make an impression. He then joined Parma in 2009 but would spend the following five years on loan at other clubs.

After uneventful spells with Atletico Roma and Ravenna, Lapadula scored 24 goals for San Marino, who were at the time in the fourth tier of Italian football. From there he went to Cesena, Frosinone and Gorica in Slovenia, where he played under former Azzurri defender Luigi Apolloni.

Despite playing on the wing he managed 11 goals in 28 games and, after a move back to Italy with Teramo proved successful, he joined Pescara last summer.

It’s fair to say, then, that Lapadula has had an unconventional career path. But while he lacks the pedigree of most signings associated with Milan, he has the skill set of a striker with realistic intentions of succeeding in Serie A.

Primarily, he is an opportunistic penalty-box predator. He reacts quickly in and around the opposition’s area and, using good instincts, he often finds space to get a shot away. Yet, while he enjoys playing on the shoulder of the last defender, he can also drop deeper.

Lapadula’s movement is intelligent and his combination play fluent. Pescara played a vibrant brand of attacking football last season, and the striker was a part of that. He brought more than just clinical finishing to the table; he got involved in building moves in the final third too. His quality link-up play is perhaps the result of his being played in deeper and wider positions earlier in his career.

Able to play effectively in tight areas where his control can be utilised to full effect, attack space, compete aerially and set up as well as take chances, he is a true all-rounder. Given his versatility and smooth running style, it is perhaps no surprise to learn that his idol is former Juventus attacker Alessandro Del Piero, per La Repubblica (h/t Football Italia).

Combined with his obvious skills, his exceptional form in 2015-16 saw clamour for him to be called into Antonio Conte’s Italy squad for the UEFA 2016 European Championships. Indeed, Oddo suggested this in an interview with Tuttosport (h/t Italian Football Daily), saying:

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With the quality and characteristics Lapadula has, he is a fantastic player who can excel in Serie A. At 1.82m, he is not very tall but he has incredible physical strength. For me, he is more than ready for Serie A, but for a great team. He could also go to the EURO, he has nothing to envy in all respect to the other strikers. This is a compliment towards him, I am not discrediting the others. For me, he has features different from the other attackers who are in the national team.

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Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

Admittedly, this high praise came from Lapadula's manager at the time, meaning personal bias could have come into this judgement, but the sheer quantity of Serie A clubs to have shown an interest in the player only adds weight to the idea that he can carry his attributes up a division.

Milan’s goals tally in 2015-16 was the club’s lowest since 2001-02. Furthermore, of the 49 they scored in the league, 18 came from Carlos Bacca. The composed Colombian was comfortably the team’s most consistent attacking threat, with Giacomo Bonaventura—an attacking midfielder—the second-highest scorer with a mere six to his name.

The need for reinforcements in the striking department was evident, and Lapadula’s signing—unexpected though it may be—is undoubtedly an attempt to address this issue.

Tactically, Milan lined up with two strikers for much of last season, whether in a 4-3-1-2 or 4-4-2 formation. But, especially following an injury to M’Baye Niang, Bacca was often without quality support.

Lapadula, with his ability to drop off and link up, is a possible partner for the 29-year-old, although Calciomercato (h/t the Daily Express’ James Gray) has suggested that he could instead be a replacement.

The thought of replacing a player who, prior to joining Milan, regularly scored for Sevilla in La Liga with someone who has yet to taste top-flight football is a disconcerting one at the outset.

Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

However, it’s worth considering that, in signing Lapadula, the Rossoneri are bringing in a comparably more rounded striker who operates well away from the penalty area. This is in contrast to Bacca, who has often looked uncomfortable undertaking defensive duties or being asked to drop deeper in the attacking phase.

And, according to Transfermarkt.co.uk, the transfer fee to secure the new arrival’s signature was just £6.75 million; small change for a club with ambitions of qualifying for continental competition next season.

Lapadula isn’t the signing Milanisti were expecting. And he may not have been the player they were hoping for. But, at a low cost and at the peak of his powers, he might just turn out to be a bargain.