Carlo Pellegatti the other night interviewed Luca Diddi about Arson Jadhari:
Carlo Pellegatti:
What I’ve learned is that the deal isn’t easy, it’s complicated, but it’s the one Milan is currently most focused on: acquiring Ardon Jashari.
I told Luca: "Let’s talk a bit about Jashari," and he said, "No, no, I want to talk about him in a big way," because this would be a truly great signing for Milan. And we know that if Brugge start asking for no less than 40 million, it won’t be easy. Just look at past cases like De Ketelaere — does he really justify that price?
Luca Didi:
Well, I’ve seen Ardon Jashari many times, especially in the Champions League, like in the two-legged tie against Atalanta. He’s a 2002-born player and was named the best player in the Belgian league. So, we’re talking about a very young player with massive potential. To give our viewers a comparison: he’s a mix between Rabiot and Reijnders. That’s the type of player he is.
Carlo Pellegatti:
What does he have of Rabiot, and what of Reijnders?
Luca Diddi:
From Rabiot, he has that burst of acceleration, that powerful stride — what we call "strappo" in midfielders, which is a very valuable trait in today’s game. From Reijnders, he inherits the verticality. At Brugge, he’s used to activate the attacking wingers with long, pinpoint passes and switches of play — those are his main strengths. He’s good at dribbling, and compared to Reijnders, he’s stronger defensively: he wins more tackles and duels. However, he might be less present in terms of attacking runs but is much more focused on assisting teammates. He’s not a phenomenon, but he’s a very smart signing. Maybe now people think 35-40 million is a lot, but this is a player with enormous potential.
He’s perfect for Allegri because he does both phases of play. He has the physical strength Allegri loves — like Rabiot — and the verticality to launch players like Leao, Pulisic, or Gimenez, who thrive in attacking space. He might even be more vertical than Reijnders. Reijnders offered more off-ball runs, but Jashari can also play as a playmaker alongside two mezzali (box-to-box players).
Carlo Pellegatti:
I remember you saying you were impressed with him against Atalanta. That evening, Milan had another match, but you mentioned that he held his own — if not outperformed — one of Serie A’s best midfielders this season: Ederson. That’s quite the statement. So, when do you see a player’s true potential?
Luca Diddi:
I always like to watch players go up against teams that play man-to-man. Why? Because you see the duels, the ability to get free, the verticality — both with and without the ball. So against Atalanta, both home and away, he was one of the best on the pitch, if not the best in Bergamo. And he was up against Ederson — physically very tough — and he handled it. If you watch the game again, Ederson struggled a lot with Jashari.
Carlo Pellegatti:
Another key thing: Jashari seems to be constantly improving.
Luca Diddi:
Exactly. He grows every year. He’s one of those players who set an example in the locker room, even though he’s young. That’s another reason why coaches like him — not just for tactical or technical qualities, but also mental ones.
Carlo Pellegatti:
Yes, and that makes sense. He’s versatile, experienced despite his age, and already a full international.
Luca Diddi:
Infact he’s been called the heir to Xhaka in the Swiss national team. And Swiss players, as we saw at the last Euros, are very well adapted to modern football. They usually do well in Italy.
His biggest strength is his versatility: smart, focused, can play almost anywhere in midfield. We’ve seen what he can do — against Atalanta, with Switzerland. We know who mentored him. So yes, 35-40 million is a lot, but that's the market now. A 22-year-old like him could be worth 45 million already by tomorrow.
