Player Focus: Taarabt Starting to Prove Doubters Wrong in Milan

“I must have seen more QPR games than any other director,” smiled Adriano Galliani, the Milan chief executive. It wasn’t a thing you ever expected to hear from him. QPR, really? You began to question everything you knew about Galliani. Did the man who once slept with the European Cup in an Athens hotel room actually have a lifelong passion for the Hoops? And does he secretly wish to be at Loftus Road while sat at San Siro? 

In short, the answer is: No, he doesn’t. He just happens to be good friends with the blue-tinted spectacle wearing star of Italy’s version of The Apprentice, the former Formula One team manager and ex-chairman of QPR, Flavio Briatore. He’s the one who pointed Adel Taarabt out to Galliani, particularly over the course of the year when the Moroccan’s team were promoted to the Premier League. Recommending him further was Gianluca Di Marzio, the Sky Italia transfer market specialist. 

His father Gianni, the sporting director credited in Italy with bringing Diego Maradona to the attention of Napoli and Juventus back in 1978, acted as a consultant to Gianni Paladini, another of QPR’s chairmen until a few years ago, whose histrionics made the documentary The Four-Year Plan such entertaining viewing. 

Flash forward to last month: when Milan were negotiating to send Cristian Zaccardo on loan to Fulham and Taarabt was offered in exchange with QPR’s approval, Di Marzio insisted Galliani “not abandon” his protege when the swap fell through.  “I must have been convincing,” Di Marzio revealed to Il Corriere dello Sport this week, “because at a certain moment [Galliani] said to me: ‘I’m signing him because you said so’.” 

And so, if you’re wondering how one of the most improbable signings of the season came to pass, there you go. Many thought Taarabt was deluded when he spoke about the possibility of going to Milan with La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Alessandro Grandesso a year ago. But maybe he knew something we didn’t. Incidentally that interview threatened to become the source of some embarrassment. 

Why? Because in it, Taarabt didn’t hold back in saying what he thought about the game in Italy. “... I watch it on TV,” he said, “and the majority of the grounds are sad, empty. I’d turn my back on the English ones only for Milan.” He’d then qualify that by adding: “Today Milan are going through a less glorious period and are no longer among the world’s top clubs. But making it there would open the doors to big teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona. And if my friend [Kevin-Prince] Boateng, who was a No.6 and often went in the stands with me at Tottenham, plays as a No.10, I think I have a chance too.” 

As if thinking of Milan as nothing more than a stepping stone to something bigger and better wasn’t enough, he also had a rather disparaging opinion on the then Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli too. “He’s a Taarabt to the nth degree. But he’s frittering it away… They only talk about him for the gossip. In my opinion, he has no friends. If I were his friend, I’d try and make him reflect.” Now he has his opportunity. Taarabt addressed this at his official unveiling. “It’s true that when Milan first showed interest in me, I thought: ‘They have the Italian Balotelli and now with me they’ll have the Moroccan Balotelli’. I can’t wait to get to know and make friends with him.” 

Milan supporters were sceptical. They read what he’d said. They had learned how Taarabt had once walked out on Morocco when he was told he wouldn’t be starting in the first team. They raised their eyebrows on discovering that, following a half-time bust up with former manager Neil Warnock during QPR’s 6-0 defeat at Fulham two and a half years ago he had showered, left the ground and caught the bus home. They wondered how a player who couldn’t get into a relegation threatened Fulham team on a regular basis this season could possibly make the difference for Milan, the seven-time champions of Europe. Had their team really fallen so low? Seeing Valter Birsa play for them was one thing. Now Taarabt. 

It was easy to be cynical about this move. But look at it from Galliani’s perspective. He can’t lose. Taarabt is on loan. If he succeeds, great. That’s a bonus and it makes Galliani look good. If Taarabt fails, then he can send him back to QPR at the end of the season. Excluding wages, the player has cost Milan nothing. And so far, they have only benefitted from Taarabt. He has been something of a revelation.

It didn’t take long for him to make an impact. Taarabt scored seven minutes into his debut away at Napoli. He ran from inside his own half and, on approaching the penalty area, hit a shot beyond Pepe Reina into the bottom corner. It wasn’t the fastest debut goal in Milan’s history. Alberto Paloschi struck just 18 seconds into his first start against Siena nearly six years ago. It was, however, the second fastest scored by a foreigner for Milan, a minute slower than the one George Weah put past Padova on his inaugural appearance for the club in 1995. La Gazzetta dello Sport considered Taarabt’s performance “the only positive” in Milan’s 3-1 defeat. 

Another reminder of how quickly things can change in football was Taarabt’s debut in the Champions League. He’d gone from warming the bench at Fulham, to mocking Atletico Madrid’s defenders with a series of feints and shimmies that soon went viral. Milan were desperately unlucky to lose 1-0 after hitting the crossbar, the post and being denied a penalty. It was their best display of the season. Taarabt produced his four days later. 

Adil Rami set him up to score the opener away at Samp and he returned the favour by crossing for his fellow loan signing to get another in a 2-0 win. For that he received a WhoScored rating of 8.62, his highest since December 2012. Taarabt had 3 shots, all of which were on target, made 2 key passes and 2 crosses. He was direct, completing 2 dribbles and 5 of his 6 long balls. Out of possession too, he made a contribution, something that’s rarely said of him. Taarabt tracked back, he tucked in. He won 2 tackles and made 2 interceptions. 

What’s got into him? How and why is he doing so well? Many will say defending in Serie A isn’t what it once was. Taarabt certainly isn’t running into Cannavaros, Nestas, Thurams, Stams and so on. The game is slower and there’s more space to run into. He’s also a novelty at the moment. The league doesn’t know him, it hasn’t figured him out yet and he’s taking advantage of it. Then there’s playing for a contract. Milan have an option to buy Taarabt for €7m at the end of the season and he’s doing everything to persuade them to take it. He’s been given an opportunity of a lifetime and he’s seizing it with both hands. 

You also feel a change of scenery and the thrill of playing on a big stage with players of reputations as big as that ego of his has got Taarabt all inspired. There’s a palpable sense of: This is what I’ve been waiting for. And for some time too. Taarabt recently told RMC.fr that seeing PSG’s interest come to nothing back in 2011 left him dispirited. Taarabt, rightly or wrongly, felt he’d done enough to deserve a big move and when it didn’t arrive he lost motivation. It seems now it’s back. 

How long it will last is anyone’s guess. “He’s a rough diamond,” says coach Clarence Seedorf. Flawed others would add. The question is: can Milan polish it up and realise the undeniable value within a player who is still only 24? Or will it remain cloudy, a talent obscured by a difficult character?

Can Taarabt be a success at Milan? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below