Vasquez recalls how he ended up at Milan and admits he is open to a return

Devis Vasquez has claimed that he feels ready to become an AC Milan player after management loaned him to Empoli during the summer transfer window.

Milan paid less than a million euros to sign Vasquez from Club Guarani in January 2023 and the signing was somewhat mysterious at the time as there had been no previous links and it quickly became clear that he would struggle to find opportunities for the first team.

Vasquez started last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday and ended up on the bench after a successful first few games. His loan was ended early, so he moved to Serie B club Ascoli on loan in January and then in the summer he was signed by Empoli.

Matteo Moretto recently clarified that it is a loan with an option to buy, with the buyback set at 900,000 euros, and that it is becoming more and more likely that they will get a bargain, especially after the performances that the player of the match is like the one against Juventus.

Vasquez gave an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport in which he discussed his arrival in Italy, his learnings from his time at Milan and his excellent start to the season.

What does gaining experience mean to you?

“For example, being part of a top club like Milan, where you can learn a lot from your teammates.”

Like Maignan?

“To be honest, we don’t talk to him much. He is very serious when training. We didn’t work together much. But I learned by watching him and trying to imitate his movements: he has a lot of “presence” in goal, he seems to take up the whole space. Then he’s always very focused.”

They arrived in Milan at the beginning of January last year and were sought by Maldini…

“From Maldini and Massara.”

They signed you from Club Guaraní, Paraguay. How did they discover you?

“I don’t know, but they showed they knew me. They said they thought I had my qualities, that they were sure I would improve even further, but they made no promises.

“I was brought in for the first team, months later I was the one who asked Maldini to play for Primavera because I wanted to experience a game of Italian football.”

They signed you for half a million. How much do you think you are worth today?

“(Laughs) I don’t know, definitely more. But I’ve only played seven games so far.”

It’s true that you had Maignan ahead of you, but is it possible that no one in Milan noticed how strong you were?

“Maybe they didn’t see me with the eyes I’m being looked at today. Then there was the loan to Sheffield, a team in trouble, where I conceded a lot of goals, partly because not all the players understood the new coach’s ideas.

“So some wanted to play ‘short’ and others wanted to play ‘long’. However, at Empoli everyone understands what D’Aversa is asking. And I immediately showed up with a different mentality.”

Different because you were more relaxed, you knew that the starting position was already yours and you didn’t have to fight to conquer it like before?

“Yes, I was more relaxed. I didn’t start behind anyone and definitely the games in Sheffield and Ascoli had given me more confidence. I arrived with a different attitude, with a desire to achieve more and more. I use the training more often than in the past and feel stronger and more confident every day.”

You also said that you fell in love with Italy: that happened in 2017 when you took part in the Viareggio tournament with Cortuluà…

“It was my first experience outside of Colombia. I immediately liked everything: the sea, the people, your passion for football, the food. I’m crazy about risotto, especially with parmesan and saffron. My girlfriend also likes Italian food, she is going to sign up for a cooking class in Florence. I was in Florence and then visited Pisa, Verona, Siena and Venice.”

Is your girlfriend here with you?

“No, but she will come to me soon. I live alone in Empoli for the time being, I live a few kilometers from the center.”

What do you like about Serie A?

“Tactics. Organization. It’s important, organization. In England they score so many goals because they’re not very organized. They run up and down, just vertically.”

You have saved several penalties in your career, most recently against Lazio…

“Castellanos shot in the middle, I went to the right: you also need a lot of luck, luck (laughs). In general, I’m very guided by my intuition.”

You started strong this season, what’s the secret?

“The passion for the work of a very close-knit group. We are a family. The coach asks me to do simple things: I consider myself a modern goalkeeper, I like to play with my feet, but D’Aversa tells me that if necessary, the ball has to be shot wide.”

What is your best quality and the main flaw you want to fix?

“My best quality is personality: talent without personality leads to collapse at the first mistake. Instead, I have to improve my ability to attack the ball, i.e. approach it, take the step to cover more of the goal.”

The three strongest players in your role?

“Ter Stegen, a ‘wall’ for his footwork and because he stands solidly between the posts. Ederson, for his personality and, like the German from Barcelona, ​​​​for his footwork: some of his passes forward are half a goal. Then new one.”

They said: “Empoli is a showcase to secure a place at a big club in Italy or abroad.” Two things: Do you feel ready for a big club? And is Milan still a destination or is it a finished story?

“Seven games are not enough to deserve a big club, but yes, as I am now, I feel ready. Milan is a goal and a dream at the same time. Who wouldn’t want to play at one of the best clubs in the world?”