AC Milan signed off a dreadful 2024-25 campaign in a somewhat positive way with a win and a clean sheet under Monza at San Siro on Saturday night.
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The build-up to the game and the opening exchanges were dominated by the theme of protest. Thousands gathered at Casa Milan a couple of hours before kick-off to chant against the management, then there was a mass walk-out on 15 minutes.
Those who remained inside the stadium got to see two goals in quick succession in the second half. The first was a Matteo Gabbia header from a corner, the second was a brilliant free-kick from Joao Felix.
It is most likely to be Sergio Conceicao’s final game ‘in charge’, and we say that because he didn’t speak to the media nor was he in the dugout due to suspension. Below are five conclusions, to round up the season.
1. Midfield revamp needed
The season has ended, so Milan will be looking to sort out the sporting director and head coach roles before addressing the summer window which they will, without a doubt, want to speed up in order to secure the needed reinforcements in time for a quality pre-season with the new head coach.
One area that needs a lot of reshuffling is definitely the midfield where Tijjani Reijnders was the only player to be consistent pretty much throughout the whole season. The Dutchman also won the ‘best midfielder’ award in the league and has been key cog in a failing machine.
However, the rest of the midfielders were a real disappointment, starting off with Youssouf Fofana. He signed for a fair amount of money and was expected to fill a void in the department – especially when it came to the defensive side – but the Frenchman failed to do so. Given he has only played a season he’s probably going to stay and he needs time to assimilate further.
Then there are players like Yunus Musah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Warren Bondo who have failed to really have an impact at all. They are arguably not good enough for the bench either since a team like Milan need more quality all around and the trio are just not the solution.
2. Too little, too late for two
Joao Felix scored a great free-kick in what is most likely his last game in red and black. The Portuguese has not managed to convince since arriving in the winter and will be heading back to Chelsea in the summer.
Samuel Chukwueze also came in with a lot of energy off the bench, played a good game and has been in form as of late, but given his struggles for two seasons now he is also likely to be sold before 2025-26.
The players to build the attack around are likely to be Christian Pulisic, Francesco Camarda and Rafael Gimenez, for whom a hefty sum was paid out in January but he is yet to take off.
Pulisic has been very consistent in his last two campaigns, hitting double digits in both goals and assists. Assuming that the management present a solid enough plan for him to continue, a summer without international football will certainly help.
Camarda was surprisingly energetic against Monza off the bench and came close to scoring a goal. He seems to be improving physically and mentally so it might just be time to give him some more playing time next season, especially given that Tammy Abraham is heading back to Roma while Luka Jovic’s deal expires.
Finally we have Rafael Leao, whose stay beyond the summer is also up for debate as he might be sacrificed so the management can address the losses from not qualifying for the Champions League.
The reality is that the Portuguese has struggled to take it to the next level for a couple of years now and has let his side down on multiple big occasions where he should’ve lead his teammates forward.
So, it’s more logical for the former Lille man to be sacrificed and not somebody like Reijnders, for example, who’s constantly improving and attracting interest from clubs such as Manchester City.
3. Finding his mojo
Mike Maignan wasn’t having the greatest of seasons heading into 2025, but he did manage to find his form toward the end of the campaign. This is partly because the defence also improved with a switch to a three-man defence, it must be said.
However, but the Frenchman has made multiple crucial saves in the last couple of months in both the league and the cup, and it was unfortunate that those saves were not enough for an extra trophy or a place in Europe next season.
The fact of the matter is that Maignan has shown just how good he can be and this makes it easier for the management: they’re in no rush to find a new goalkeeper and can work towards the Frenchman’s renewal, or if there are no openings then they will scan the market.
4. Defensive duo to build around
Given Milan’s season it’s no wonder that all areas are in a need of change and the defensive department is no different. One thing is certain: if no big investment is made in the centre-back position, then Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic are the duo to build around.
The Italian has been the most solid defender for a while now and whilst Pavlovic struggled in the first half of the season he showcased a lot of potential since the start of the year. He still has lots of room to improve given his age and potential, while stability in the midfield and on the flanks will certainly help too.
Then we have Fikayo Tomori and Malick Thiaw. With the Englishman having been in a state of steady decline since the Scudetto-winning season, this summer might just be the time to part ways with him.
Thiaw has also failed to impress and hasn’t really grown much since the 2022-23 season, but he might be given another chance given the lack of European football. The German does have potential and is very useful when it comes to playing out, but needs to be more solid defensively.
On the flanks, Kyle Walker is heading back to Manchester, then Emerson Royal was a disastrous flop and needs to be sold. This will require reinvestment in that position, to ensure there is someone to challenge Alex Jimenez for a starting spot.
Theo Hernandez’s fate is yet to be decided, but the feeling is that a poor season form-wise – where everybody, including the coaches and management were not at their best – doesn’t justify an exit for the Frenchman on its own.
The issue is his contract expiring in 12 months, and if that is not sorted then an exit might be a solution for Milan to not let him leave for free. If the former Real Madrid man walks away, then Milan fans better be prepared for the idea of seeing him excel elsewhere.
5. Two big needs
Following the very poor management decisions last summer, Milan need to react fast and bring in competency if they want next season to be different and in a positive manner.
A sporting director is a must and Igli Tare is pretty much confirmed. That should be announced in the next few days, and there will be a long list of tasks for him to tackle from the head coach to renewals and of course squad construction..
Tare will need to work on a coach to replace Conceicao. The likes of Massimiliano Allegri, Antonio Conte (if he were to part ways with Napoli), Vincenzo Italiano and Maurizio Sarri have all been linked.
There is a key theme: the idea is to hire an Italian that knows the league and is already a proven winner. This should exclusive Thiago Motta given his poor half-season with Juventus, though his work with Bologna was impressive.
Whoever the coach is he will need to work closely with Tare to build the squad to their liking and have enough time to implement ideas before the season starts. Above all, this must preferably happy without interventions from Furlani and Ibrahimovic. Let the chefs cook and don’t spoil the broth again.