As announced on the club’s official website Milan have completed the signing of Brahim Diaz on loan from Real Madrid.
Milan is Diaz’s 3rd club after Manchester City and Real Madrid. Here is a scouting analysis on what Milan Fans can expect from their latest recruit
PROFILE
Name: Brahim Diaz
Parent club: Real Madrid
Height: 1.71 metres
Foot: Both
BACKSTORY
Brahim Abdelkadir Diaz is a Spanish football player born in Malaga to a Moroccan father and a Spanish mother. An academy product of Malaga he played there until 16 until the allure of playing for a big club and a convincing talk with Pep Guardiola took him to Manchester City for €230,000. He made his first start against Leicester in the EFL cup and got his first start in the Champions league against Feynoord.
However he exploded for Spain U-17 in the Euro 2016 and made the world take notice. Lack of first team minutes and a yearning to go back to his hometown saw him go back to Spain in the form Real Madrid who paid €18 Million despite the objection of pep who wanted to keep the player.
He is dubbed as the Messi of Malaga by those who saw his game back in his hometown
PLAYING STYLE
With an extremely short stature Brahim Diaz is a nightmare for defenders. His low centre of gravity makes him extremely quick and difficult to catch for defenders. He is able to make quick shifts of direction and beat defenders 1v1.
Brahim Diaz has the ability to accelerate very quickly but his top speed is not may not be as explosive as some wingers. Brahim Diaz is a wiz with the ball at his feet as he shows excellent close control while dribbling and has a very good first touch. This facet helps him break lines of the opposition defenders helping to advance the attack. Diaz unlike traditional wingers does not stay wide and drifts infield to help with the buildup. He has an uncanny ability to use his dribbling as a potent weapon to break out of tight spaces. Add this to the fact that he is very ambitious and takes on shots from distance and slides in through passes often unlocking defenses.
Diaz is very cautious in possession and waits for the right opening to advance the attack. Often he tends to be the center of attack and this draws defenders out of position to try and dispossess him. This helps other defenders to run into the space vacated by the opposition defender.
Another very modern-but-rare feature of Diaz is his ability to use both feet. He is seen dribbling predominantly with his left foot but takes shots using both feet
Playing in Manchester City Diaz is often encouraged to press in the youth setup as well as in the senior team as Guardiola often likes to press his opponents high up the pitch. With his agility Diaz presses the player closest to him as a way off blocking off a passing lane. He tries to hound the player in possession into making a mistake and conceding possession. Many times Diaz is the player who initiates the press
The only thing to be concerned about Diaz is his lack of experience in the top flight division. Playing for 2 giant clubs Diaz has found playtime to be very scarce.
DEAL OR NO DEAL
Milan have secured the services of the player from Real Madrid on a dry loan with a gentleman’s agreement that they would meet later. As a backup for Hakan Calhanoglu Milan have found a cheap backup to rotate considering they will be playing in 3 competitions this summer. Given his ambidexterity and his versatile game he can play in any area of the pitch.
Brahim Diaz, in theory, seems an extremely combustible as well as technical midfielder that can add an extra dimension to Milan’s game. With teams in Serie A approaching a more defensive approach it would be handy to have a player like Diaz who knows to work his way out of corners and tight situations. Also given how Milan have evolved under Pioli into a more pressing side could use the talent of Diaz to close down players and win the ball back quickly
Milan have certainly got a talent on their hands and possibly if things work out a future star to look forward it
Transfer Rating: 7/10
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