PROFILES Noah Okafor, the offensive joker that Milan have been looking for for some time
He comes from Salzburg, with whom he has already challenged the Rossoneri. And now it can be an important profile to give Pioli a serious alternative in attack
After the medical tests and the signing this afternoon, in the evening Milan made official the signing of Noah Okafor, yet another Rossoneri coup in this fiendish summer.
The player had been on AC Milan’s notebook for some time, but not only on that of the Rossoneri. Then the decisive acceleration, which allowed the management to snatch him from Salzburg and the other suitors for a very low amount. It took 14 million euros to get him immediately without waiting for the expiry of the 2024 contract. A five-year contract for him until June 2028 at 2.2 million euros per season.
It wasn’t just the price that enticed Milan to buy Noah Okafor (23), but his date of birth and his qualities. Those that even the Rossoneri fans were able to appreciate when the Swiss footballer scored against his future team in the Champions League match in September 2022.
Below is what is currently one of six goals Okafor has scored in Europe’s most prestigious competition.
The role
Central striker or attacking winger? Among the skills of the Nigerian born in Switzerland is the ability to adapt to both roles. Or rather, Okafor in Salzburg has evolved from the position of right incursor to that of finisher, moving into the opponent’s penalty area and therefore increasing his feeling with the goal.
A very flexible player, given that in 166 career games, Okafor played 64 times as a central forward, another 64 as a left winger and 38 on the right.
It must be said, however, that last year, with the Austrian team, the new AC Milan signing always played in a 4-3-1-2 with another striker alongside, while at Milan he will hardly find himself placed in a similar line-up, given that Pioli will aim for a 4-3-3 and he will have the task of acting as a striker or support.
The last season of the Swiss was more troubled, sidelined since April due to a metatarsal injury.
Okafor’s injuries
Flashscore
Certainly in his new adventure in Italy he is a candidate to play the attacking joker card both to make Olivier Giroud catch his breath (or who knows, to take his place) or from the winger, a package where however Milan can already count on Rafael Leao, Christian Pulisic, Alexis Saelemaeekers, Junior Messias, Luka Romero, Ante Rebic and soon on Samuel Chukwueze.
His graft, therefore, reflects the intention of giving Stefano Pioli an important offensive alternative to improve the game vertically and therefore be more varied in the arrangement of the attacks. Especially for those counterattacks who have recently made the fortune of Milan.
The carreer
Born in 2000, Swiss mother and Nigerian father, Okafor was born in Binningen, grew up in the Basel youth team and made his debut in the first team at the age of 18 against Lucerne. Hers comes from a family of footballers, from the brothers Elija (19-year-old full-back without agent) to Isaiah, 18-year-old midfielder from the Bauer Leverkusen youth team. Okafor arrives in Salzburg in 2020, when Erling Haaland leaves the team after only one season.
Okafor’s career
Flashscore
The Swiss will be forced to take on the heavy legacy of the Norwegian but will be able to contribute in his own way to the Salzburg attack: 110 games, 34 goals scored, 23 assists, numbers that highlight how the new AC Milan striker is not a selfish striker, but plays a lot for the team.
To highlight these characteristics of his two flashes that concern Italy and Milan: on November 12, 2021 at the Olimpico in the world qualifiers he ends 1-1, to score and open the scoring is Widmer, precisely on an assist from Okafor. A year later, however, at the Red Bull Arena there is Milan for the Champions League match: it is still 1-1, but the game is opened by a goal from the Swiss, who after a tunnel in Kaluku puts a winning right foot between Maignan’s legs too. And in that moment Pioli, who already knew the player, fell in love.