Italy international Stephan El Shaarawy has completed a move to AS Monaco, signing a one-year loan from AC Milan with an option to buy at the end of the season. The 22 year old had a medical with the Ligue 1 club on Monday and Monaco will pay Milan a €16million fee.
Monaco adventure
According to various reports, the loan will become a mandatory transfer after the Italian plays a certain number of games for his new club, with El Shaarawy agreeing to a five-year deal worth €3million euros per season.
"It's a great feeling to sign here in Monaco. I am very happy and excited and hope to have a great season to make the fans happy."," El Shaarawy told the official Monaco website following the transfer.
"We are very proud to welcome Stephan El Shaarawy, whose arrival marks the highlight of our recruitment strategy," said Monaco CEO Vadim Vasilyev.
"El Shaarawy has experience of several seasons at the highest level, but simultaneously represents the future. His talent allowed him to explode in front of the eyes of world football and we believe that AS Monaco will allow him to fully accomplish his potential."
History
In 2011, El Shaarawy signed for the Serie A giants for €20 million from Genoa. In the 2012-13 season, El Shaarawy was Serie A's top scorer at the middle of the season with 14 goals but then struggled the second half of the season after Mario Balotelli's arrival from Manchester City.
Since then, over the past two seasons he has struggled with injuries and Milan signed strikers Carlos Bacca from Sevilla and Luiz Adriano from Shakhtar Donetsk to replace him this summer. In the end, El Shaarawy played 101 matches and scored 27 goals for the Rossoneri.
Milan CEO Adriano Galliani also had kind words for Il Faraone. saying that ''I wish to thank you for the dedication and hard work you always showed in our jersey, and for the goals and talent you were able to exhibit in these four Rossoneri years.''