As we approach the last month of the summer transfer window, one glaring hole in AC Milan’s squad remains unresolved: right-back.
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Alessandro Florenzi may not have been the most explosive right-back, but he played 71 matches for AC Milan since the 2021/2022 season across all leagues, completing 86.6% of his passes. While Flroenzi’s attacking contributions slowed down, he remained one of Milan’s most trusted players and on-and-off the field leaders.
Florenzi was also particularly valuable when the team sidelined Davide Calabria. His departure following the expiry of his contract removes some level of leadership and reliability from the right side defence.
While the departure isn’t the type of headline that normally shakes bookmakers, the timing carries subtle implications for the market. AC Milan currently has odds listed at 11/2 for winning the Serie A in August on licensed offshore sportsbooks, but those odds can change quickly, depending on the new right-back chosen for the team.
These sportsbooks typically update odds using real-time data, and those numbers will likely change with an announcement of a new right-back for AC Milan. That said, AC Milan’s match-by-match win probabilities could also dip fast without a new signing before mid-August.
So, who does the team have lined up for possible replacements? Davide Calabria was the first choice right-back replacement. However, he missed 13 games last season because of muscle problems, and eventually left in January.
There’s also the possibility of Emerson Royal, who was a new signing just last year. Royal has played 26 matches for Milan and averaged 1.3 key passes for Tottenham per 90 minutes last season. However, Milan’s coaching staff worry about Royal’s defensive work rate, which is low at 78.
Hence, Milan have now reopened discussions with Torino to sign Wilfried Singo, a long awaited target. Milan has offered €20m for the Monaco defender. Singo has shown some strength in Serie A before. He is fast, physically fit enough to lead, and capable of adapting to wide centre-back or wing-back. Milan must make a decision fast because Torino is fielding offers from other Premier League clubs
Meanwhile, Monza’s Samuele Birindelli seems like a more conservative option while he would be available at a lower fee. AC Milan have also tabled a €15m bid for 22-year-old Guéla Doué. Alternatively, Allegri may need to rely on rotations until Kalulu returns to his prime if no deal is made. Jan-Carlo Simic would offer short-term coverage even though he hasn’t been tested in major fixtures yet.
Florenzi was by no means flashy, but his departure left a hole that extends past the dressing room. It may also present an opportunity after an AC Milan SWOT analysis revealed that the team’s reliance on Italian players is a weakness. Milan’s next move must be tactical, in the market and on the pitch.
The right-back position has become the centre of attention this summer, not purely for squad balance but also for tactical significance. Allegri’s system demands full-backs who can contribute defensively and offensively, making the replacement search more challenging and urgent.