Having departed AC Milan in January, M’Baye Niang has criticised his treatment by the club, insisting he deserved the chance to stay at San Siro.
Although he has not left permanently, the 22-year-old departed for Premier League side Watford on a six-month loan deal, hinting that his future may lie away from the Rossoneri, with the Hornets having the option to make the move permanent for €15.6 million.
However, the circumstances around his exit still rankle with Niang, who feels he should have been afforded the opportunity to stay and help Vincenzo Montella’s side.
“I’ve always lived by the principle that whatever happens isn’t a failure but a chance to improve, although maybe at this stage of my career I needed a change,” he said in a lengthy interview with the Guardian.
“I played in some big games with Milan and scored some important goals. People ask if I had too much pressure on me but that wasn’t the case because I deserved to be at Milan.
“My performances for Caen showed I deserved to be there. I had the strength of character to play for such a prestigious club but left because I needed a fresh start.
“I don’t want to make excuses but ever since I joined Milan there have been so many coaching changes and for a young player it isn’t always easy to adapt to those changes each time. That maybe worked against me.”
When quizzed upon what he himself wants from his future, the striker did admit that he would welcome a permanent move to England over a Rossoneri return.
“It is still to early to say whether I feel at home because I just got here,” he added. “I’d like to stay in England though. I’m learning the language quickly and playing a type of football that I loved, based on strength, speed and skill.”
