Chelsea loanee 'already has AC Milan in his heart'

One of the dangers inherent in loaning players to other clubs is the loanees themselves falling in love with their new surroundings, teammates, fans, etc. The latest in that line is young Mario Pasalic, currently on loan at historic AC Milan, of whom he’s spoke glowingly on several occasions already.

Last Friday, Pasalic gave the Rossonero a great Christmas present by converting the penalty that won the Italian Super Cup over Juventus. The young midfielder is clearly enjoying his time at the club and according to his agent, Marko Naletilic, he already has Milan is his heart.

"He's very proud to have scored the decisive penalty and wear the AC Milan shirt. Montella has shown great faith in him and has given him confidence after his long injury. This is something Mario appreciates a lot. He still has room for improvement - he's at 70 per cent now."

"His future will depend on several factors: on Chelsea, Milan, and him, of course. His wish counts and I can say that Mario already has AC Milan in his heart."

-Marko Naletilic; Source: Gazzetta dello Sport via FourFourTwo

This is not the first time that Pasalic's agent hinted at a permanent stay at Milan for the 21-year-old. And in an interview to Mediaset Premium earlier this month, Milan CEO Adriano Galliani suggested that the club could exercise an option to buy that’s been included in the player's loan deal. Thus, if Pasalic continues to impress his manager, there's won't be many obstacles in the way of making his temporary stay at Milan a permanent one next summer.