One of the greatest goalkeeper talents around Anderlecht, but was too impatient to wait for his chance. Mile Svilar left for Benfica at the age of 17 in Brussels, but five years later he had expected to be the first goalkeeper there. He would get that chance at AS Roma.
The message came today from Italy: José Mourinho wants Mile Svilar. That should come as no surprise, because The Special One was already heavily impressed by the son of Antwerp legend Ratko Svilar in 2017. Svilar made a mistake in the Champions League match against Manchester United, but afterwards Mourinho had praise for him. “One of the greatest talents I’ve seen,” he said.
“Svilar will one day cost a big suitcase full of money,” he added. “A phenomenon!” Mourinho doesn’t often say that about a young player. Now five years later, he seems to be acting on his words. Not that Svilar would receive a basic place at AS Roma. The Portuguese legend Rui Patricio still stands there under the bar. The 34-year-old veteran also has a contract until 2024. But Mourinho is already thinking about the succession.
He has never really been able to break through at Benfica. First through the competition with Bruno Varela, then came Greek international Odysseas Vlachodimos. In total, Svilar played 23 matches for the A-team, but this season he has not played a single time. Mourinho wants the now 22-year-old goalkeeper for the future, but would also have a rotating role for him in mind.
It would mean that his career, which he had hoped to get off the ground for so long, can finally begin. “Why shouldn’t I be able to play now?”, he asked himself at the age of 17 at Anderlecht. The Purple & White then tried to calm him down. Probably – although you never know – he could have played more matches by now with a little more patience. He will feel confident with Mourinho…
