AC Milan new boy Giacomo Bonaventura has offered to take teammate Cristian Zaccardo to dinner as a gift for rejecting a summer move to Parma in exchange for the club’s primary transfer target Jonathan Biabiany.
‘Gentleman Jack’ played a significant role in Filippo Inzaghi’s first away win as a first-team coach in the 5-4 triumph at Parma on Sunday, and has expressed delight at signing for the club in the closing hours of the transfer window.
“The last day of the market I went to Milan and I knew that something might happen,” he told Mediaset.
“Inter were talking with the Atalanta management and I was set to move there, but then came Verona.
“Until 7 o’clock in the evening I did not know where my future lay and I was losing hope, but at 8.30pm the Atalanta directors told me ‘Go to Galliani’.
“I could not believe it. I will offer to take Zaccardo to dinner.”
The 25-year-old attacking midfielder then described the opening goal against Parma, dubbing the game strange, but exciting.
“I knew I had the defender on the side, so I let the ball pass with a dummy and then I just hit it with my left foot,” he continued.
“The game last night was really strange, but exciting.”
Bonaventura arrived in Milan for €7 million, having recorded 17 goals in 104 appearances for Atalanta.