Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has revealed he did not want to leave AC Milan at the end of his loan spell last season, and has refused to rule out the possibility of a return to Serie A when his contract with the Cherries expires this summer.
Begovic joined Milan on loan back in the 2020 January transfer window, and went on to make just two appearances for the Italian giants while providing cover for Gianluigi Donnarumma.
But despite that lack of game time, it seems that Begovic certainly the time that he spent in Serie A.
Speaking to Calciomercato about his loan spell with Milan, the goalkeeper revealed: “Milan is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and it is a privilege to be part of it, to live and breathe the tradition and respect that this club has.
“I was hired by Milan to help the younger players with my experience on and off the pitch and I think we did some good things together, important things for the future of the club.”
“I had a contract with Bournemouth who decided they needed me for this season. I liked Milan and the prospect of staying there, but this is the life of a professional footballer and we have to live with it."
As things stand, Begovic's contract with Bournemouth is set to expire at the end of this season, meaning he could be a free agent in just a few months time.
Should that happen, it seems the Bosnian would certainly be open to a move back to Italy, as
he went on to add:
“For now, I’m focused on doing my best with Bournemouth, we’ll see what happens next.
As I said, it’s no secret that I would have liked to continue playing for Milan, and I love Italy and Italian football.
"I love Italian football and Serie A is a challenge for every player, so I wouldn’t rule out anything. Everything is possible.”
So far this season, Begovic has made 40 appearances in all competitions for Bournemouth this season, helping them to seventh in the current Championship table.
The Verdict
In fairness to Begovic, you feel you can't really blame him for that interest in a return to Italy.
A move such as that to play for a club the size of Milan must be appealing for any player, and if you have had a taste of it as he had, that may not be something you want to let go.
However, given Begovic is the only goalkeeper with any real senior experience at Bournemouth, it could cause something of a problem for them with regards to their options between the posts, if the Bosnian elects to pursue a move such as this.
As a result, you feel the Cherries may need to start looking for other potential goalkeeping transfer targets for next season, so they can be ready in case either party elects not to sign a new contract to keep Begovic at The Vitality Stadium.
