ADRIANO GALLIANI is pleased with what he got for Milan in this market and doesn’t understand the ‘free’ criticism.

The transfer market has officially (finally?) ended in Italy and the Rossoneri finished it with a last minute signing, getting Giacomo Bonaventura from Atalanta in a deal worth €7m. The midfielder is one of 12 players Milan signed / bought out.

It was a very long summer for Milan and especially for the fans who usually want different things from what the club pushes for but Adriano Galliani, who was in charge of this mercato of course, is happy with how the last couple of months went.

Official: Cristante joins Benfica on a five-year deal

Official: Bonaventura joins Milan on a five-year deal

“I am very happy with our transfer market,” Galliani told the Milan Channel after signing Bonaventura. “In the market you must have the strength to wait and surprise your rivals at the end, as you do in a cycling race. Jonathan Biabiany? The operation was very advanced, we had agreed terms with Parma and Biabiany, but Zaccardo refused this destination too.

“We had thought then we needed to find another player and thought of Bonaventura. He is a great player, but also a great person, as he wept with joy when signing the contract. But now we are calm and only think about having a big Serie A campaign. What is the key to these transfer deals? Contacts and relationships with agents and managers. For example, when I realised there was a problem at Real Madrid between the goalkeepers I moved for (32-year-old) Diego Lopez.

“Cristante? The player asked to be let go because there are too many players here. I tried to convince him, but he wanted to go. I offered him a loan, it was the most logical thing, at Benfica or another Italian side, but he said he didn’t want to play against Milan and so he went abroad. We reinvested the sum of money from Cristante in Bonaventura, who is still young and has great human and technical qualities. Once the deal for Biabiany fell through, we had the idea for Bonaventura and it was a real blitz. I’m sorry about Biabiany as I really like him & he has always shown a lot of affection for our club colours.

“It’s a shame, I am really sorry, but these things can happen in football. Free signings? I don’t want controversy, but why is that if Diego Lopez arrives for €10 million then that’s okay but not okay for free? Fernando Torres’ signing? Daniele Tognaccini called me yesterday to say that the tests were excellent. What counts though are the results out on the pitch.

“I have always worked with an infinite passion for Milan. It has been a few nights where I haven’t slept much, but let’s now move forward. Now we need to maintain this position in the standings – we are first,” added the 70-year-old CEO.