One of the things that the AC Milan management have to factor in mind when building the squad is the regulations of Serie A and the Champions League.
The current rules are clear: UEFA, in order to register a 25-man squad for their competitions, require teams to have four academy products and another four players having come through academies in that country.
Here is how Milan stand at present, when assessing how the squad list looks currently but also with an eye on the business that could be done between now and the end of the season.
Academy products: Davide Calabria, Tommaso Pobega, Lorenzo Colombo, Matteo Gabbia.
Home-grown players: Marco Sportiello, Antonio Mirante, Alessandro Florenzi.
It must be mentioned that Gabbia looks destined to be on his way to Villarreal so presuming that goes through, Milan can register 23 players not 25 at present.
It is possible therefore that the club might look to flesh out the squad with the signing of a home-grown player, such as for the deputy left-back role or in midfield.
Colombo is included in the academy list because it is presumed that – if he were to stay – he would be promoted from list B (that of the Under 22s, which is unlimited).
Otherwise, Andrei Coubis, Chaka Traoré, Jan-Carlo Simic or Kevin Zeroli could be named as the final spot as well.
Non-EU rules
Each Serie A club are allowed to register two non-EU players per season. One of them can be registered without any constraints – which in this case is Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
To register the second non-EU player, one of the non-EU players already present in the team must leave or must acquire European citizenship.
Milan’s five non-EU players: Devis Vasquez, Fikayo Tomori, Rade Krunic, Junior Messias, Marko Lazetic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
One of them will have to leave to make room for a new registration, such as Samuel Chukwueze. Messias seems an obvious candidate, while Lazetic could depart.
Pretty sure departing on loan doesn’t count. The rule wouldn’t make any sense if it did. Unless that player returning from loan used up a slot.
Didn’t the non-EU primavera player who left count? At least this very same site reported earlier that it would. So, which is it?
So sad to see how few Italians we have in the squad, historically we have always had homegrown and acadamy products successfully integrated into first team squads, with a good blend and balance of overseas players and Italians. We seem to not want to give our homegrown talent a chance, always picking overseas over either our acadamy or Italians from other teams.
Blame the growth decree for some of this.
In the short term at least, I don’t care if our whole starting 11 and 4-5 best subs are non-Italian if we are winning, growing off field, growing the academy and are able to be back at the sharp end of producing and fielding national team players again in 5-6 years.
As usual they forget to include Mattia Caldara…
Promoted chaka traore if gabbia go on loan that will keep 4 from academy AC Milan . Just buy 1 player LB from italian club academy to make 4 home grown from italian club academy
Swap Messias + some cash for Singo and we are set. Singo is homegrown and Messias sale will satisfy the Non-EU requirement so we can register Chukwueze. We also get young player with excellent offensive abilities at RB and one that could grow and event so take Calabria starting spot.
Make it happen Georgie boy