De Sciglio: ‘No Milan talks on future’

Mattia De Sciglio admits he hasn’t even spoken to Milan about a contract extension, but remains “relaxed about my future.”

The Italy international full-back has been repeatedly linked with a move to Juventus over the summer to avoid losing him on a free transfer in June 2018.

“I am very relaxed about my future, I’m focusing on my football and honouring the Milan captain’s armband,” said De Sciglio at a Fondazione Milan event.

Mattia De Sciglio admits he hasn’t even spoken to Milan about a contract extension, but remains “relaxed about my future.”

The Italy international full-back has been repeatedly linked with a move to Juventus over the summer to avoid losing him on a free transfer in June 2018.

“I am very relaxed about my future, I’m focusing on my football and honouring the Milan captain’s armband,” said De Sciglio at a Fondazione Milan event.

“I still have a year on my contract, as do other teammates, and those who work for me said there’s not much we can do right now. We haven’t yet sat down with their representatives and when the time comes, based also on what happens at the club, we’ll evaluate what is to be done.

“There’s not much to say right now, because we haven’t even spoken about it yet.”

Milan are in the middle of a takeover by Chinese and American investors, which should be completed on April 14, just in time for the Derby della Madonnina with Inter.

“We are first of all focused on this weekend’s game with Palermo, because that will be difficult. After our draw with Pescara, we need three points to continue the hunt for Europe.

“We too expected a different Milan performance at Pescara. I think it was a psychological issue more than anything else. It was a game we needed to win, it started on the wrong foot and we did improve as time wore on,” continued De Sciglio.

“Matches against Inter, Roma or Atalanta are head-to-head clashes, so they are easy to prepare for. Those against Empoli, Crotone or Palermo are the more difficult ones, because you have to be prepared mentally and not let the concentration levels drop.

“I believe we’ve made progress with our mentality compared to last season. There aren’t many games left for us to get into Europe and there are many sides fighting for the same objective, so we must be hungrier than them and pounce on any slip-ups.”

With Riccardo Montolivo and Ignazio Abate injured, the captain’s armband has gone to De Sciglio.

“Wearing that armband is a huge responsibility, thinking back to all the Milan legends who wore it. I am trying to honour it as well as I can.

“The first time I was called up into the senior squad, it was one of the strongest sensations I’ve ever felt. It was one of those moments you feel in the pit of your stomach, when something comes true that you had only dreamed of.

“I always wanted to be a football player. If I hadn’t, then my father still teaches martial arts, so I’d have maybe gone into that realm of sport instead.”