Catanzaro sporting director Ciro Polito has revealed why Mattia Liberali chose Como over returning to AC Milan.

Alphadjo Cisse is undoubtedly the star of Milan’s start to the season. The teenager arrived this summer from Catanzaro as a bit of an unknown quantity and has already scored two goals in three games, earning Ruben Amorim’s trust.

However, for a short while there was a strong chance that his team‑mate at the Serie B club could be joining him under the lights of San Siro. Milan pushed strongly to re‑sign Liberali one year after his exit, but ultimately the Italian playmaker ended up choosing Como’s project.

The Calabrian club’s sporting director Ciro Polito spoke exclusively to MilanNews and he shed some light on Liberali’s decision not to return to the club that he came through the academy of.

How satisfying is it that talents like Cisse, Liberali, and Fasavuli are at big clubs?

“All three are a source of pride. I seek out and pamper the players, but they’ve been a huge source of satisfaction. You’d never have thought that these guys would be playing for top Italian clubs in just seven or eight months. It’s also a great thing for Italy, because they’re young Italians, and when they play, they show their talent.”

“I don’t know if it was right or wrong. Milan did everything they could to bring him back. I think it was more a question of how he was treated before, of principles. It’s true that I told them that Fabregas is in Como, everything, but at Milan they showed they wanted him at all costs.

So for Milan today, he and Cisse would have been the starters, but it’s their decision, and whether it’s right or wrong, only time will tell.”