Mattia De Sciglio eyes move abroad after leaving Juventus
Free agent Mattia De Sciglio has revealed his desire to continue his playing career with a move abroad, following his departure from Juventus. The 31-year-old Italian defender, who made 117 appearances for Juventus, scoring two goals and providing four assists, is currently without a club after his contract expired but is not ready to retire. Speaking on the Sky Calcio Unplugged vodcast, De Sciglio stated his preference for a new experience overseas for the benefit of his young family, citing his positive past loan spell at Lyon in France.
De Sciglio's career has been predominantly split between AC Milan, where he came through the youth academy and made over 100 appearances, and Juventus, where he spent seven seasons. His time in Turin was punctuated by a loan to Lyon during the 2020-21 season, an experience he recalled fondly. The full-back, who has also earned 40 caps for Italy, now finds himself assessing his options on the open market as he looks to extend his career.
The defender offered his analysis on the upcoming Serie A clash between his two former clubs, AC Milan and Juventus, describing it as a "super tight" match with significant implications for the Champions League race. According to his comments on the vodcast, he believes AC Milan has been more consistent this season, while noting the significant quality jump Juventus has made under manager Luciano Spalletti. When pressed on which of his old teams he would prefer to rejoin, De Sciglio found the choice difficult, expressing curiosity about playing under Spalletti's more fluid system at Juventus while acknowledging the solid results achieved by Milan's pragmatic coach, Stefano Pioli.
De Sciglio also shared insights on former teammates, expressing strong belief in striker Dusan Vlahovic's quality, suggesting the Serbian's early struggles at Juventus were related to carrying too much responsibility. He reserved high praise for Cristiano Ronaldo, describing playing alongside the Portuguese star as a unique experience that raised the level of everyone in the dressing room due to his dedication and professionalism.
Reflecting on what his former club AC Milan might need to improve, De Sciglio pointed to the value of experienced reinforcements, citing the self-aware veterans like Sami Khedira and Mario Mandzukic from his Juventus days. He indirectly endorsed Milan's reported interest in Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka as the profile of player who could bring that necessary maturity and specific weight to the squad. The defender concluded with thoughts on Italian football's broader issues, contrasting the fear prevalent in Serie A with the environment in France, where he believes young players are given more trust and responsibility at an earlier age, subsequently benefiting the national team.
