“At the start of the transfer window, the Milan directors told me that they needed to sell me and in my head I was ready to leave. I had the opportunity to come here to Florence, in a super ambitious project and I liked the idea straight away”. Speaking like this – in his presentation conference – is directly Yacine Adlithe new midfielder of the Florentine arrived from the Rossoneri club in the very last hours of the market: “For me it was simple, seeing everything that is put into the project. I had no doubts”.
Do you feel ready to become a leader? What is your favorite role?
“Being a locker room man comes naturally to me, I immediately found myself very comfortable here too. I will try to help in my own way, both on and off the pitch: I live for my team and my teammates, if I can add something I will. About the role… I like playing football, only that, on the pitch I have played many positions. I am a midfielder by training and I see myself well in the two in the middle, but I can play wherever the manager and team need”.
What does Palladino ask you? Convinced by something in particular?
“I watch a lot of football and last year in Monza he showed all his characteristics and that he could make the team play very well. We all know him well, we have seen how he works, but it takes time because there have been so many changes: we all have to understand together what he wants, but everything is clear. And I think the team will grow a lot: when we have this style of play inside, we will do badly”.
Any players you look up to?
“I don’t try to compare myself to anyone, Zidane was one of the best in history and I have nothing similar to him. I try to do my part and work, I think I’m an atypical player because I’m big but also agile with the ball. Some might say I lack pace and speed, but these are my qualities: I try to be a reference with the ball and cover as much as possible without it. I have a lot to improve, I’m young and that’s also why I came here”.
Read Yacine Adli’s full press conference here