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‘Very pleased’: £9m ace Newcastle missed out on compared to Marcel Desailly

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New AC Milan signing Soualiho Meite is already being compared to the legendary Marcel Desailly after Newcastle United missed out, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb.

Steve Bruce will be thanking his lucky stars Fulham and West Brom seem incapable of putting a winning run together.

Because, despite five defeats in seven games, Newcastle still have the relative comfort of a seven-point cushion separating them from the relegation zone.

In stark contrast, AC Milan continue to prove their Scudetto ambitions are more than a short-lived pipe dream.

Another Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired victory means the Rossoneri are still three points clear in top spot. Their best start to a Serie A season shows no sign of ending.

So who can blame Meite for choosing the San Siro over St James’ Park (MilanNews24). The Torino-owned enforcer has arrived on loan with an option to buy for £9 million.

A bargain signing he may be but Meite has a long way to go before he can emulate the trophy-laden success of Desailly in red and black.

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“I am very pleased to be compared to him. He was a great player. But Desailly is Desailly, while Meite is Meite. I have to write my story,” the 26-year-old explains when asked about his apparent likeness to France’s 1998 World Cup winner.

“I like a lot of midfielders. I watch the strongest like (Andrea) Pirlo, (Luka) Modric and Yaya Toure. I watch the videos to try to learn as much as possible.”

At the Emirates Stadium on Monday, a resurgent Arsenal sliced Newcastle apart less like a knife through hot butter and more like a high-powered chainsaw through whipped cream.

Meite would at least have brought some energy and presence to the heart of a lightweight midfield.

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