Mario Gila has confirmed that Ruben Amorim was the man who pushed him to sign for Milan, and that the coach is trying him both centrally and on the right side of the back three.
That last detail is the one to hold onto. Milan spent to bring Gila in from Lazio this month, and where he slots into Amorim's defence tells you a lot about who else is on the way out. The right-sided centre-back role is Fikayo Tomori's spot, and with Tomori's future uncertain, Gila settling on that side would not be a coincidence. He can also play as the middle man of the three, so Amorim has options either way.
Speaking to reporters at the Milan Store on Via Dante, with his comments relayed by MilanNews, Gila made clear the coaching change is what tipped the deal. Massimiliano Allegri and Igli Tare had wanted him first, and both have since gone, Allegri to Napoli and Tare out of the sporting director role. It was Amorim's arrival that sealed it.
"It's true that Allegri wanted me, it's silly to deny it. Igli too," Gila said. "Ruben's call came, and seeing this desire to have me on the Milan team… I think it's priceless."
He was candid about joining a club coming off a poor season. "It may not have been Milan's best moment, but I like it because joining teams that are winning isn't particularly satisfying," he said. "I like these challenges."
On the tactical fit, Gila gave a proper breakdown of how he sees the two roles. In the middle it is about positioning and covering the spaces the wing-backs leave behind. Wide on the right he gets to push forward and use his pace. "I like being arrogant and aggressive in that sense," he said. He also mentioned that Marco Tudor once used him at left-back, so versatility is not a problem.
Amorim's style is the bigger adjustment. Gila admitted he hasn't played this way much at Lazio, where the football was more conservative, but he backs himself to grow into it. When asked whether an attacking, dominant approach worries defenders, he was relaxed about the trade-off: "If you want to go forward, you have to take risks at the back."
On the dressing room, Matteo Gabbia is the one who made him feel at home, which fits Gabbia's role as one of the few genuine leaders left in this squad. He also singled out Francesco Camarda and Davide Bartesaghi, the young players he spends most of his time with.
Gila cost Milan a fee in the region of the €30m range to prise away from a Lazio side that rated him highly, and at 24 he is squarely in his prime years for a defender. If Amorim has already decided he is the man to inherit the right-sided berth, the question is no longer whether Gila plays, but who moves aside to let him.