Alberto Aquilani believes his former Sporting CP teammate Joao Mario is “certain” to be a success at Inter – providing he is played in central midfield.
Joao Mario followed Aquilani to Italy from Portugal at the tail end of last in a €45m deal, and Aquilani is confident the Euro 2016 winner has what it takes to flourish in a Nerazzurri jersey if he is utilised in his most “natural position”.
Alberto Aquilani believes his former Sporting CP teammate Joao Mario is “certain” to be a success at Inter – providing he is played in central midfield.
Joao Mario followed Aquilani to Italy from Portugal at the tail end of last in a €45m deal, and Aquilani is confident the Euro 2016 winner has what it takes to flourish in a Nerazzurri jersey if he is utilised in his most “natural position”.
“He’s an excellent reinforcement and a certainty: he’s a good guy, a very technically-gifted player and well-structured physically, although he’s not very tall,” the Pescara man told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“At Sporting, I saw him used in virtually all areas of the pitch: right, left, in the middle.
“One day I was tempted to ask him, ‘Joao, where do you like to play?’. For me, he’s a midfielder, it’s his [most] natural position.”