New Milan signing Filippo Terracciano reveals he chose squad No. 38 thanks to Italy and Tottenham defender Destiny Udogie, as they are close friends.
The 20-year-old was unveiled as a new Milan player at a press conference on Friday.
“Let me thank Verona before starting. The club, the city, the teammates and all the coaches I’ve had, especially Juric, who I will thank forever,” he said, as quoted by Milannews.
“It’s a big change as Milan are a top club. Everyone has welcomed me nicely. I was thrilled on the first day. However, when I go on the pitch, I forget about everything and only think about what I must do.
Terraciano can cover multiple positions in defence and midfield and said that Milan legends Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta are two of his role models.
“I’m gaining experience game by game,” he continued.
“I’ve seen Milan as the best club for my growth. There are many big personalities like Ibra here. Now, I can improve on a human level too. I’ve had positive feelings since the very beginning. I feel that people here can help me with everything I need. This is one more reason why I chose to join Milan.”
How can Stefano Pioli contribute to his development?
“Pioli can give me a lot and I am already learning so much,” he replied.
“My father played with the Mister and I joked about it with him. I’ve always been at Verona, and now I’ll try to build my future here, day by day.
“It’s a fantastic group. Training with players like Theo, Leao, and Giroud will give me a lot. Now I must understand what the coach wants from me and know my teammates well.”
Why did he pick squad No. 38?
“Number 24 was unavailable, so I picked the No.38 because of Udogie. I have a great rapport with him and I chose this number for him as well.”
Udogie joined Tottenham from Udinese last summer but is a product of Hellas Verona academy, so he played alongside Terracciano in the Gialloblu youth sector.
The Tottenham defender made his senior Italy debut under Luciano Spalletti in October 2023 and is one year older than Terracciano.
The new Rossoneri signing has yet to make his senior debut with Italy’s senior team but has made one appearance with the U21 squad in November 2022.
Terracciano played 49 games with Hellas Verona, scoring one goal. Overall, he has made 39 appearances in Serie A with the Scaligeri.