Milan’s Miss, Liverpool’s Gain: Szoboszlai’s Career Could’ve Gone Another Way | OneFootball

Szoboszlai’s Sliding Doors Moment: From Milan Nearly-Man to Liverpool Star

Near Miss That Changed a Career

Dominik Szoboszlai is now an integral part of Arne Slot’s Liverpool — a midfielder whose energy, vision and growing end product have contributed to a team crowned Premier League champions. But it all could have been very different, had AC Milan followed through on a deal in January 2020.

As revealed by former Milan chief football officer Zvonimir Boban, the Rossoneri were inches away from completing a double swoop for Szoboszlai and Dani Olmo. “Personally I went to close Dani Olmo,” Boban told the Milan Hello YouTube channel. “They [Milan] didn’t want to do it, it was January 2020. Everything was agreed, maybe something had to be raised, but it was a deal worth 18 plus two [million Euros].”

In the same breath, Boban added, “We had also taken Szoboszlai, everything was agreed: 20 million [£17m] of the clause with Salzburg. Two operations that we would have concluded with the sales of [Krzysztof] Piatek and Suso. There too they denied and I said to myself: ‘What the hell is this?’”

That failure of nerve in Milan’s hierarchy gifted Liverpool a chance they weren’t going to pass up.

Slot’s Midfield Machine Keeps Ticking

Signed from RB Leipzig for £60 million in the summer of 2023, Szoboszlai has been a near ever-present under Slot. Six assists in the current Premier League campaign, including another against Arsenal last weekend, show a player increasingly comfortable with the demands of English football.

Liverpool, England, 11th May 2025. Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool applauds fans at full time following the Liverpool vs Arsenal Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. Picture credit should read: Cody Froggatt / Sportimage EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. SPI_066_CF_LIVERPOOL_V_ARSENAL SPI-3930-0065

The 24-year-old had faced some pressure to boost his attacking output, but his recent form — seven goals already this season — has silenced much of that noise. Indeed, as noted: Szoboszlai has been “outstanding” at times this season.

Milan’s Miss, Liverpool’s Gain

Had Milan completed the deal in 2020, Szoboszlai’s trajectory might have looked very different. Though Liverpool could have still attempted to prise him away from the San Siro, it’s far more plausible that they would have diverted attention elsewhere. From Salzburg, he joined Leipzig in 2021, paving a natural path to Merseyside when Liverpool came calling.

It’s tempting to assume that Milan’s hesitancy was simply a matter of finances or uncertainty over squad depth, but the long-term consequence was missing out on a generational midfield talent — one who now wears Liverpool’s No.8 shirt.

Szoboszlai Shines in Red, Not Rossoneri

In a poetic twist, Szoboszlai’s first goal of this campaign came at the San Siro in September. The Hungary captain was even seen donning a Milan shirt post-match — a swapped souvenir from a stadium that could have been his home.

Instead, Liverpool seized their opportunity. In Arne Slot’s high-octane system, Szoboszlai isn’t just thriving — he’s evolving. A missed opportunity for Milan has become a masterstroke for Liverpool.

And as the Reds prepare to explore the transfer market again in 2025, this is a poignant reminder: in football, timing isn’t everything — it’s the only thing.