"Past their prime? Certainly. But over the hill? Hardly. Modric, at 40 years old, had started Milan's first four league games, taking more touches (329) and creating more shooting opportunities (19, per fbref.com) than any teammate. De Bruyne, at 34, was the only Napoli player with more than one goal so far this season, having struck in wins over Sassuolo and Fiorentina."
"Even those numbers were reductive. If Modric's shirt had quickly become the best seller in Milan's club shop, overtaking that of Rafael Leao, it was also because he said things fans yearned to hear. Milan can't be satisfied with mediocrity, Modric insisted on signing his contract. The club needs to set itself the biggest targets possible: winning titles and competing with the best teams in the world."
"We might remind ourselves here that Milan finished eighth last season. They had changed manager since then, bringing back Massimiliano Allegri to replace Sergio Conceicao, but still, expectations were not high when their CEO George Furlani told a press conference in June that there was no need for a revolution of the playing squad. Perhaps Modric helped shift his thinking, too."
Luka Modric and Kevin De Bruyne joined Serie A this summer and remain influential midfield leaders despite age. Modric, 40, started Milan's first four league games, leading the team in touches and chances created, while De Bruyne, 34, provided Napoli's only multiple goals. Modric's arrival shifted Milan's mindset toward higher ambitions and coincided with significant squad overhaul under sporting director Igli Tare, who retained only nine of 27 players and brought in several new signings. Milan replaced their manager with Massimiliano Allegri and sought to rebuild expectations after an eighth-place finish last season.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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