Diego Moreira has spoken about his early days at Milan, naming the right flank as his preferred position and addressing the weight of the fee that brought him to the club.
The winger arrived as the third notable addition of the summer window, a move that came without any prior links since his Benfica days, which made it one of the more unexpected pieces of Milan's mercato business. He is yet to make his debut, having watched the opening two matches from the bench.
Moreira met supporters at the Via Dante store on Wednesday evening and spoke to journalists present about his first weeks in the city, in comments reported by MilanNews.
On his adaptation, he described the start as smooth. "The first few days have been magical for me. It's a new experience: my teammates have welcomed me since day one, and I've felt at home since I arrived here," he said, adding that he is ready and waiting for the coach to give him his moment.
Pressed on where he sees himself in the side, Moreira was clear. "The way we play, I prefer the right flank. I spoke to the coach about it, and it's the position where I feel best."
His shirt choice carries a nod to history, though the story behind it is practical. The No.7 was unavailable while Santiago Gimenez remained at the club, so Moreira took the No.22, once worn by Kaka. His reasoning was simpler than the association suggests: it matches his current age.
The size of Milan's outlay came up directly, and Moreira framed it as motivation rather than a burden. "I'm not saying I feel pressure, but rather I feel honoured. If the club invests so much money in certain players, it means they believe in them," he said. "It's time to prove they were right to believe in me."
He also addressed the summer photo of him training in an Alexis Saelemaekers shirt, which had fuelled speculation about his destination. Moreira called it a coincidence, explaining that the Belgian, a close friend from the national team, had given him the shirt long before the transfer was agreed.
On choosing Milan over other Italian sides, he leaned on the club's stature. "Milan are one of the biggest clubs in Italy, and when a club like that shows interest in you, you don't think twice." He left the details of the quick negotiation to his agents, saying his only concern is playing.
Asked whether he wants to be the best young player in Serie A, Moreira put the team first. "My main goal is to win games with the team. My personal goals come second."
For a signing that arrived out of nowhere, the wait now falls on the coach to decide when Moreira gets his first minutes.