Liberali chooses Como despite AC Milan’s bigger offer: what happened in the final hours

Mattia Liberali has made his choice: he will continue his career at Como 1907. In the coming hours, the Lombardy club and the player’s entourage will finalise the details of what is almost certain to be a five-year agreement.

The decision was made today, around lunchtime, after talks between the player and his agent. Liberali has chosen to join the side coached by Cesc Fàbregas, who will compete in the Champions League for the first time next season.

He has done so despite AC Milan making a serious late push to change his mind, and despite Gerry Cardinale personally getting involved in an attempt to alter the course of the deal.

Cardinale tried to overtake Como overnight
A couple of days ago, we reported that Como were in pole position to sign the player, who is currently in Wales with Italy at the Under-19 European Championship. At that stage, the Lariani were strengthening their advantage over the other interested clubs, while Milan had not yet truly entered the picture beyond a few exploratory enquiries. Then, overnight, came the unexpected acceleration. Through direct and prolonged contact, Milan attempted a late move right at the finishing line.

On the table, beyond the promise of a central role in the new Rossoneri project, were also a higher salary for the player and more substantial commissions for his agent.

Como will now pay the €6m clause
Liberali took the night to think it over, tempted by the possibility of returning through the front door at a club that had let him go for nothing only last summer, with one year left on his contract. In the end, however, the decision came down above all to his development pathway.

Which club was better for his first steps in Serie A: Milan or Como? Which project was better suited to giving him a first taste of Europe after just one season in Serie B: the Rossoneri’s or the Lariani’s?

The choice fell on president Mirwan Suwarso’s club. Como will now pay Catanzaro the €6m required to sign him permanently, with €3m of that sum going to Milan, before finalising the last contractual details with the player ahead of the official announcement.