“Welcome, Picasso”: Italian media hail Modric’s Milan move
The significance of Croatian captain Luka Modrić’s (39) arrival at seven-time European champions AC Milan is best illustrated by the front pages of Italy’s two leading sports dailies, La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport, CE Report quotes HINA.
Both papers feature Modrić wearing an AC Milan shirt as the central image on their front pages. Gazzetta headlines with: "Modrić signs - Milan’s gold". It also quotes the midfielder saying: "I chose a great club. I came here to win, and the fans will be proud."
It is also reported that Modrić will wear the number 14 shirt. He wore the same number when making his debut for the Croatian national team in March 2006 in Basel, in a friendly win against Argentina (3–2), and also during his time at Tottenham Hotspur.
The number 14 is famously associated with Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff. During his playing days at Ajax, Cruyff originally wore the number 9 shirt, but that changed in late October 1970 during a match against PSV Eindhoven. Returning from injury, he was handed a substitute shirt, number 14, which he continued to wear thereafter.
Corriere dello Sport also features Modrić in a Milan shirt prominently on its cover. The strapline reads "Modrić The Artist", with the main headline declaring: "Welcome, Picasso".
