Boban Drops Bombshell: Milan Had Szoboszlai Deal Sewn Up, Then Bottled It!

Picture this: Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool's midfield maestro, banging in goals for fun in the Champions League. But rewind a few years, and the Hungarian wizard was this close to pulling on the red and black of AC Milan. Former Rossoneri director Zvonimir Boban has just spilled the beans on Sky Sport Italia, admitting they had a deal locked in – only for it to crumble like a stale panettone.

As reported by Susy Campanale at Football Italia, Boban – who held the fort at Milan from summer 2019 to early 2020 – was the man orchestrating the coup. Szoboszlai had just rocked up at RB Salzburg with a cheeky release clause hovering around €20m. The kid was gagging for it, confessing later he'd idolised Milan growing up. Deal done, handshake exchanged... or so they thought.

The Deal That Got Away

Boban didn't mince words during his punditry gig. "We had already closed a deal for him, then it didn’t go through," he sighed. You can almost hear the regret dripping off that sentence. This was peak promise for Szoboszlai – a teenage phenom with bags of talent, ready to light up Serie A.

But fate, or perhaps Milan's boardroom drama, had other ideas. Boban got the boot after slagging off the owners, and poof – the transfer evaporated. Szoboszlai ended up at RB Leipzig for a heftier €36m in January 2021, then Liverpool splashed a whopping €70m on him in summer 2023. Milan's loss, Anfield's gain. If only they'd sealed it quicker than a last-minute Scouse comeback.

Fans are left chuckling at the what-ifs. Imagine Szoboszlai linking up with Leao and Pulisic now? Instead, he's terrorising defences at Anfield, scoring screamers against Inter at the San Siro no less. Boban reckons it's a win for football, though – "I’m happy he won the war with himself and became a real player."

From No.10 Flop to No.8 King

Boban didn't stop at the transfer tale; he dissected Szoboszlai's evolution like a proper Balkan tactician. Early days? The lad was a No.10, lurking behind the striker for Salzburg and Hungary. Sounded glamorous, but it was a dud fit. "He didn’t have the pace or the ability to take men on," Boban noted. No shimmying past full-backs or nutmegging keepers – just not his bag.

Enter the lightbulb moment: shove him deeper as a pure No.8. Genius move. Now he's dictating play, threading needles, and spraying passes with that "lightness of touch few in the world can boast." Extraordinary vision, they say. It's turned a promising pup into a Premier League beast, bossing midfields and chipping in with goals.

Liverpool fans owe Leipzig a thank-you pint for the positional tweak. Under Klopp's successors, Szoboszlai's thriving – think those Champions League strikes against Inter and Galatasaray. Boban nails it: the only logical path to championship status. Milan's near-miss feels even more gutting now.

What Could Have Been for the Rossoneri?

Spare a thought for Milanistas nursing their cappuccinos. In 2019, snagging Szoboszlai for peanuts could've been the spark for their Scudetto charge. Instead, they pivoted to other targets, while he climbed the ladder elsewhere. Boban's frank chat lifts the lid on those chaotic months – a reminder that transfers are as much soap opera as strategy.

Szoboszlai's story is pure footy fairy tale: from Salzburg sensation to Leipzig starlet, now Liverpool linchpin. At 25, he's got prime years ahead, maybe even dragging Hungary to Euros glory. Boban watches on, proud dad-like, as his almost-signing conquers Europe. Next time you're at the pub dissecting deals, raise a glass to the ones that got away – they make the best yarns.