AC Milan seemed destined to sign a new central defender in January. Matteo Gabbia returned from Villarreal, but a shiny new toy never arrived, meaning the acquisition of a new central defender is expected in the summer.
There have been several names on the list for potential targets, and whilst Milan tried extensively in the past month to sign a defender, notably Alessandro Buongiorno. However, they failed to do so, meaning it has had to be postponed until the end of the season.
However, that does not mean planning has stopped.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Maxence Lacroix has emerged as a suitable option for the Rossoneri’s defence for several reasons.
Firstly, his work ethic is second to none. After the Coronavirus pandemic arrived, the Frenchman trained both the physical and mental sides of his game, refusing to be weakened by the arrival of the World’s halting.
The defender revealed that he had asked his current club, Wolfsburg, for videos of his games to study during his time away from playing, stating that he wanted to watch and, more importantly, understand what he could have done better.
Studying the game did not start then for the defender. He stated that he had watched his father play football from as young as four years old, and his career began as a goalkeeper at that age due to his aspirations to match his father.
From there, he moved into central defence, and he was later picked up by Pole Espoir – a two-year youth football programme for people from the Ile-de-France region.
Following his time with the programme, he moved to Sochaux and was made captain at only 20 years old, something which was welcomed by his teammates due to his exceptional mentality and leadership attributes.
His time at Sochaux is what began his French career too, with the Under-17s, he represented Les Bleuets in the European Championships and the 2017 World Cup.
Whilst he has enjoyed a quick rise to a high level, Lacroix has remained overtly humble as he has attributed his rise and characteristics to his parents. The footballing side comes from the aforementioned stories with his father, but his determination, he explains, is due to his mother.
He explains that his childhood was not easy, even though there were difficulties, he believes his childhood was beautiful due to the work of his mother.
His gratitude and closeness to his family goes as far as the fact he would not go on holiday, preferring to spend time with them, as opposed to jetting off to a luxurious destination like some footballers may.
His mental attributes deserve a lot of credit, but nothing should be taken away from his physical attributes. He stands at 1.90m tall and is a felt presence at the back for Wolfsburg. However, his pace can defy his physical stature, as he is incredibly quick.
Given his contract expires at the end of the 2024-25 season, there may be an opportunity in the summer to get the Frenchman for a lower price. There will be competition for him, so Milan will have to act quickly, as not only will they be getting an incredible defender, but also an incredible person.
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