Hakan Calhanoglu says he feels ‘undervalued’ as a player, insisting that he is not far off from the level of players like Luka Modric and Kevin De Bruyne. The 29-year-old has been fielded in a changed position since joining Inter, but believes he his more than capable of adapting to the needs of the team and can get closer to the levels of Modric and De Bruyne.
Speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the midfielder touched on a number of topics, including feeling undervalued in his role, the advice he is offering young teammate Kristjan Asllani, and why the return of Marcelo Brozovic is a good thing, even if it’s competition for a position:
Now that Brozo is back, how will you lineup in the middle?
“In football and in life there is competition and it’s good for everyone: the choices are then up to the coach. I just have to be ready, either as a ‘mezzala’ or as a ‘regista’, maybe even changing roles in the same game. Also thanks to Brozo’s return, we are one of the most complete midfields in Europe.”
What advice do you give young Asllani on the bench?
“I talk to him a lot, especially when I see him demoralised or disappointed. At 20 years old we were like him, often on the bench: in this Inter it is difficult to emerge, but you learn a lot. He must stay calm and work, grow in personality, become tougher, then his time will come because he has great qualities.”
When people mention the best midfielders in Europe, they talk about Modric and De Bruyne, Casemiro and Pedri, but never about you: is that fair or do you feel undervalued?
“Yes, I feel undervalued. I am not far from the names you mentioned, I have everything to get closer to them: the way I grew up I see myself among the top 5 in Europe in my role, I say this with humility but with awareness. Sometimes, some players, who play for example in the Premier League at the moment, can have more visibility…”
A former Milan player has never been so loved at Inter…
“At the beginning the fans had doubts, as is normal: replacing a great player like Eriksen, coming from Milan was not easy. But I was sure that, as I started playing, the music would change and they would appreciate me. The love was spontaneous, without the need for theatrical gestures: it grew slowly without a real spark.”
