Ismael Bennacer: A Deep Insight into AC Milan’s Next Big Thing
As it has been reported from their official site, AC Milan secured their fourth signing of the summer on Sunday morning as they officially announced the unveiling of Algerian International Ismaêl Bennacer.
The 21-year-old signed a contract which its reported fee is believed to be around €16M plus €2M ads-on which is seen as a bargain capture considering the inflated state of the current transfer market.
Although, he still appears to be an unknown quality to many fans even with his recent rise in the game, so, here I breakdown on what to expect from the versatile midfielder.
Background
Born 1 December 1997 in Arles, a city in southern France, to a Moroccan father and an Algerian mother. Bennacer started his youth career with Athletic Club Arles-Avignon from 2004 to 2015 before joining Arsenal youth team in 2015.
He made senior debut with his new London club on 27 October 2015, coming up as a substitute for Theo Walcott on a League Cup fourth-round match against Sheffield Wednesday. Two years later, Arsenal loaned him to a French Ligue 1 side Tours for the remainder of the 2016–2017 season where he scored his first senior goal against Sochaux from a free-kick.
On August 21, 2017, Italian Serie B club Empoli announced the signing of Bennacer from Arsenal on a permanent deal. He went on straight to become a starter for his new team and played a pivotal role in their successful journey to Serie A, where he made 39 appearances and registered 2 goals for the club.
However, despite the unsuccessful run the club made in 2018/2019 campaign, the player managed to feature 37 times for the club before they got relegated to Serie B.
Nevertheless, when he was 17 years 9 months old, Bennacer called-up twice to represent France U-18 and U-19 team by coach, Ludovic Batelli, were he begins to attract many interests across Europe before switching to play for his father’s country Algeria. Not long after the switch, he instantly slotted into the Algerian first team.
Since his debut for the national team, he has been delivering an impressive display for Dessert Foxes, the kind of one that earned him the best player reward ahead of the likes of Sadio Mane, Mo Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Alex Iwobi, et al, in the 2019 edition of African Cup of Nation.
Style of play
The importance of having somebody to play a pivot role as a deep-lying playmaker in Marco Giampaolo’s 4–3–1–2 system cannot be understated.
So, after Milan being heavily linked with a big-money move for Arsenal’s Lucas Torreira — but eventually priced out — Giampolo identify Bennecer as an ideal player who can occupy the exact the same position as the former target.
Bennacer’s immense ability to operate in different roles in midfield made him highly considered as one of the promising prospects in modern football. Aurelio Andreazzoli, former Empoli coach, has been using him as a deep-lying midfielder in a holding role in midfield, sometimes as an attacking midfielder, or sometimes as a central offensive-minded midfielder, regarded as mezzala by Italian football.
A cohesive and pugnacious midfielder who will no doubt fits in the defensive responsibilities and requirements that might fulfil the same obligations that Torreira might — by being a player that might absolutely be difficult to past.
The youngster makes his presence known on the pitch through a combination of his energetic and aggressive style plus his vision, speed, passing, dribbling skill, tackling, ball interception, and technique. He also likes to play long ball and shoot from the distance.
The Rossoneri have long been looking for a player who able to recover and win balls back and then use it wisely to produce dangerous counter-attacks, perhaps, in Bennecer, Milan have found one. His ability to run in the field both on and off the ball charging forward and back to goal is another incredible thing among his greatest assets.
Player statistics
According to whoscored, Bennacer’s passing percentage rate is 86.4%, with the 0.9 of aerial duels per game. He had (1.5 to 1.4) interceptions, gave away fewer fouls (1.2 to 1.3) and was dribbled past less (1.2 to 1.6) per game last season.
However, he averages (0.5 to 0.4) shots per 90 minutes, had more key passes (0.9 to 0.8), and completed (1.8 to 0.2) dribbles, and was fouled (1.6 to 1) last season.
Ismael Bennacer is exactly the kind of player who will fit in Giampolo’s 4–3–1–2 formations and that is why the management have pursued him so aggressively amid interest from Napoli and Fiorentina this summer.
