Stefano Pioli says Milan had been scouting Mike Maignan for almost a year and insists he never felt he was an interim coach.
The Rossoneri signed Maignan in a €13m deal from Lille in the summer to replace Gigio Donnarumma.
The Serie A giants scouted him last season before their Europa League games with Lille.
“When we play against a European rival, we usually see 4-5 matches with the staff to see who we’ll meet,” Pioli told Il Giornale as quoted by Calciomercato.com.
“And in those games, Mike impressed me. I saw the way he was talking to his teammates when they played at San Siro. We followed him and our scouts and confirmed the good impression we had had.”
Milan appointed Pioli in 2019 with the Italian coach replacing Marco Giampaolo.
He was supposed to stay at Milan only for a few months as the Rossoneri had targeted Ralf Rangnick and were in advanced talks with the German tactician.
“I’ve never felt like an interim coach because I’ve always trusted Gazidis,” said Pioli.
“Before the game against Genoa, he told players that everybody was under scrutiny and that the club would make decisions at the end of the season. He told them not to trust the media because they hadn’t decided anything yet.
“I’ve never felt I was going to leave, neither when I was reading stuff on the German coach.”
Pioli’s contract expires at the end of the season, but the coach doesn’t think about it.
“In my mind, my contract with Milan never expires. I have a symbiotic relationship with Maldini, Massara, Gazidis. I’m fine in Milanello and we all have the same ambitions.
“I don’t feel different from five years ago. It’s true: the chemistry between people helps in a football team but what matters is to feel comfortable even when you don’t share the same views.”
Milan sit second in the Serie A table, two points off leader Napoli.
They host Hellas Verona at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza after the break before visiting Porto in the Champions League and Bologna in Serie A.
Pioli: 'Il mio #Milan nato nel lockdown. Messias stupirà. Fischi a #Donnarumma figli di amore e dispiacere. Sul mio contratto….' https://t.co/uGmLWhwqNh pic.twitter.com/FB5Eaj3LNh
— calciomercato.com (@cmdotcom) October 9, 2021