Mateo Retegui promises to be one of the hottest properties when the summer transfer window reopens, and he has spoken about alleged interest from AC Milan and Inter.
Retegui has given an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport this morning in which he spoke about his rise to prominence with the Italian national team and also what awaits regarding his future amid the links with a move to Serie A.
“Before choosing football, I played hockey. You have to run all the time, I like to lend a hand in every area of the field. Football is a team sport and I strongly believe in this concept. Today I feel like a much more complete player. I love and look for pressure, it doesn’t scare me,” he said.
“On the contrary, the more pressure I have on me, the better I react. I look at many players and admire them. Manchester City’s Haaland is one of those, a lethal 9 that I really like. Then Lewandowski, Ibrahimovic, they are all very complete. And they are leaders.
“My contract with Tigre is for two years, but last November Boca had the option to recall me. But no one spoke. When training resumed at the end of December, I spoke to Diego Martinez [the coach], telling him that the Tigre is more than a club to me and that, unless the club accepted an offer from abroad for economic reasons, I would like to stay.
“Then in January, just before the start of the championship Hugo Ibarra [up until a week ago the Boca coach] told me he was already interested in me for this season, but I had already given preference to Tigre out of respect for the president, the whole club, Martinez and the my companions, at that point I would have accepted only to go abroad. Here in Argentina are all my roots. For the moment, because the future could be in Europe.”
It was recently reported by Rai journalist Ciro Venerato (via Area Napoli) that Retegui has a market both in Italy and abroad with AC Milan and Inter keen on the 23-year-old but also Premier League side Leeds United and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
They even claimed that the German side are furthest ahead in the race as they need to replace the outgoing Randal Kolo Muani, but Retegui is not making and promises yet regarding where he will next play.
“President Melarana said that in July it might be probable that I will be sold. I really like the idea, it’s a dream for all those who play football, the greatest are in Europe.
“Which Italian team do I support? Ah, many. There are great clubs, I like them all. Inter? There’s nothing concrete and I don’t know what’s happening, it’s my dad who is taking care of the future. My mind is 100% on Tigre.
“A transfer market derby for me involving Milan? I don’t know if it’s true. I repeat, my dad is working on it with the Tigre management. In which European league would I like to play? Where is best for me. I would love to come to Italy, but it’s still very early.
“But it would be great to become a protagonist in the league, someone who scores many goals. Just as I would like to score many for Italy, one of the most important national teams in history.”
