1982 World Cup winner Dino Zoff had high praise for Milan shot stopper Mike Maignan, although he admitted to being unaware of the Frenchman’s capabilities before his move to Italy.
The French goalkeeper signed for the Rossoneri last summer from Lille in a deal worth around €14.4m, which looks to be a bargain in hindsight. Maignan was one of the key factors behind Milan’s Scudetto push last season, keeping 17 clean sheets and conceding only 21 goals across his 32 Serie A appearances.
Speaking to L’Equipe, Zoff detailed his strong impression of Maignan following his positive start to the season.
“He was decisive, he gave security on all fronts and in the last derby he was once again exceptional.”
The 1982 World Cup winner admitted that because French football is “less seen and appreciated on TV”, he was unaware of Maignan’s qualities before he signed for the Rossoneri.
“He’s a complete profile, explosive and tidy. His personality is decisive.”
Finally, Zoff suggested that Milan “didn’t lose out by changing from Donnarumma”, even if Paris Saint-Germain “gained a very young and strong goalkeeper.”
The numbers confirm Maignan’s incredible work at Milan following his arrival last year; the 27-year-old had a post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed of +8.0, a sign of his incredible shot-stopping abilities.