AC Milan are planning to invest €50m in two players that they believe are necessary signings to bolster the defence and midfield, according to a report.
According to this morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), Milan are not just at work to fix the centre-forward issue. They want to sign a defensive midfielder and a full-back, and two names are circled on their wish list: Emerson Royal and Youssouf Fofana.
The Brazilian on the wing
Milan want a full-back in addition to a centre-back and ideally they want a player who can cover both sides, a trend that started when Diogo Dalot arrived on loan from Manchester United in 2020 and continued with Alessandro Florenzi.
The management are looking for a player with international experience but at the right age and Emerson Royal ticks these boxes. In January he turned 25 but on his CV there are spells in LaLiga with Real Betis and Barcelona, and the Premier League with Spurs plus 12 appearances for Brazil.
Milan were keen on Royal in the past when he also ended up in the sights of top clubs like Bayern Munich and PSG, but the discussions did not get too far. Things could change this summer, because the Rossoneri are keen to bring in a player who has been more of a reserve under Ange Postecoglu.
The issue, if anything, is the asking price. Tottenham still believe in his qualities and for this reason they value him at €30m, more or less the same amount invested to bring him to London in 2021.
The Monaco hound
Fofana is the same age as Emerson: he and the Brazilian were born in January 1999, four days apart. With Monaco – where he arrived four and a half years ago from Strasbourg – he has just celebrated qualification for the Champions League.
The next edition will be his long-awaited debut in the tournament, but he could also do so with a different shirt. The idea of playing in the UCL with a red and black shirt on appeals to him, as he admitted in an interview a few weeks ago.
Milan can add another weapon of seduction: they have a project that seems designed especially for him. In the squad at present are Reijnders, Loftus-Cheek, Musah, Bennacer and Adli who are all box-to-box players, meaning a defensive midfielder is missing.
Fofana has the right physicality and characteristics to fill the gap and he doesn’t lack experience either. He is part of Didier Deschamps’ French national team and played in the World Cup final which they lost on penalties to Argentina.
When clubs came forward for him in the past, Monaco returned the offer to the sender, including the €35m put on the plate by Nottingham Forest. Today, however, there is a factor that can change things: Fofana’s contract will expire in a year and Milan can obtain an advantageous price, not exceeding €20m.
Is Emerson actually any good? He’s played 21 games. 1 goal and 0 assists. But if his defensive capabilities are good then he could be a good buy of course since our defence is our biggest problem.
Gds just copy pasting what they put out yesterday. And fofana is also a b2b. Idk how anyone can be a “sports journalist ” and not know or see that.. he has good positioning but he’s a far cry from a proper dm we so badly need
If we sign Emerson for 30 mil were officially a banter club again
We won’t. I’m 90% sure there is 0% of interest from Milan for Emerson. We’ll sooner sign that kid from Lille
Agree, Fofana is better defensively but he’s still not a pure DM
Moncada singing type 😑😑
Meh, Emerson is average especially with that price..Fofana is good but I thinks he’s not a pure DM that we need
Emerson is good player amrabat is the best option for DM he is mix of modric and kroos he can defend well he can keep the ball he can pass he can carry on the ball he can create chances he can play anywhere in midfield
I hope your boyfriend amrabat never comes 2 milan. You’re already insufferable enough
Don’t worry your mother will come
If Theo stays, spend the money elsewhere as we wouldn’t need a RB or LB. Far more important gaps to fill.
Wieffer no Fofana….you f*****g idiots.. .
The reason this article is a crock of sh|t is because someone pulled out an old lead and “refurbished” it as new. There’s no way ER is worth 30mil nor would Milan pay that much for him.
We do need an upgrade at RB, because frankly Calabria isn’t any good or consistent at any one thing, nor is he a captain (but that’s a different convo). We need more quality. We also need to understand which version of Kalulu we are getting back or what Terraciano is actually capable of. That will hold us over for another season.
But there are more pressing needs, and bigger holes to plug this season. So yea, let just kill this Emerson story.