Mario Gila has placed his Milan move in the wider contest of ambition that shapes a Serie A summer. The Spanish defender said Inter had also approached him, but he saw greater meaning in helping Milan climb back among the leading sides rather than joining a club already collecting trophies.
Speaking at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, Gila confirmed that he received calls from several clubs during the summer. His profile had attracted attention across the division: a Real Madrid-trained defender in his prime, with his Lazio contract moving towards its final year, was always likely to draw interest from Milan, Napoli and Inter.
“Inter wanted me too,” Gila said. “But bringing Milan back to the top would give me more satisfaction than joining a team that is already winning now.”
Milan eventually secured the 25-year-old for €30 million, taking him from Lazio to the other side of the Naviglio. His own preference was central to that outcome, although Inter had also made enquiries with Lazio president Claudio Lotito before stepping away from the negotiations.
Inter’s defensive choices
Inter appreciated Gila, but their summer planning had already left little room in defence. The squad had Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni and Carlos Augusto available, while Pavard returned to the group and John Stones arrived without a transfer fee.
The decision to add Stones gave the club an experienced option and allowed resources to be directed towards areas regarded as more urgent. The right flank became one such priority, with around €30 million spent to bring in fellow Englishman Spence.
Elsewhere, coach Cristian Chivu had made Jones his principal midfield target. Inter also committed funds to the costly buy-back of Aleksandar Stankovic, faced the compulsory purchase of Akanji and brought in Provedel as a dependable deputy goalkeeper.
That broader allocation of the budget made a major outlay for Gila less appealing, particularly given that the defender would have been able to leave Lazio for nothing only months later.
Chalobah ahead of Gila
Squad depth was not the only consideration. Inter’s preferred defensive reinforcement had been Chalobah, who subsequently joined Como. Gila remained an option, but not the player at the top of Inter’s list.
Lotito’s valuation also proved difficult to reconcile with Inter’s approach. Milan accepted Lazio’s €30 million asking price, whereas Inter were reluctant to spend that amount on a player nearing the end of his contract.
Jones presented a superficially similar contractual situation, yet Chivu’s wishes carried particular weight there. The English midfielder had long been the coach’s first choice to give a new dimension to an already well-stocked midfield. In defence, Gila was not afforded the same priority.
For Milan, however, the deal has brought in a defender who has chosen the challenge of a rebuilding project over the easier certainty of an established winner. It is a decision that gives added meaning to his first season in red and black.
