AC Milan are getting closer to securing the signing of Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka on a free transfer, a report claims.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) begin their report as follows: “If the race for Leon Goretzka were a cycling race, it would be a serious breakaway attempt, with the other riders currently chasing.” Milan is confident of reaching the finish line first and bringing him to Italy, in other words.
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To do so, they’ve put forward a three-year offer worth around €5m net per season. The possibility of adding a one-year option is also being discussed with Goretzka’s entourage, with whom there were discussions in recent days. It’s not done yet, but the progress is clear.
Will it be enough? The German will decide his future in the coming weeks, before the end of the season and the World Cup, also evaluating other offers (keep an eye on the MLS). Juventus are also keen, and there is the intention to respond to Milan’s attack with a possible €6m/yr offer.
Before doing that though Juve must make further assessments, because among the free agents the number one target remains Bernardo Silva, on his way out of Manchester City. Technically one is not an alternative to the other, but financially signing both will be difficult.
Milan’s priority
Goretzka is the one that Massimiliano Allegri wants. The coach is seeking to add internationally renowned players to the squad, like Adrien Rabiot who arrived last year. In fact, the Goretzka-Modric-Rabiot trio is ‘perfect’ in the eyes of Max, ahead of a potential return to the Champions League.
At 31, Goretzka has lost his regular starting spot in Munich and is now playing less frequently, especially in the Champions League, a competition he won in 2020. This is understandable, given the exceptional level of Kompany’s Bayern side.
In the league, however, he has started 21 times in 30 games and has been virtually injury-free this season. Goretzka, in short, is fit and ready to go. Furthermore, despite a slight decline, he remains a pillar of Nagelsmann’s Germany, with whom he will play his third World Cup in June.
Allegri, however, has also offered the club other names that he would welcome in his midfield. Sassuolo’s Ismael Koné – a Canadian international who has already scored six goals in his first Serie A season – is highly regarded.
Fiorentina star Nicolò Fagioli is another name that Allegri likes, having worked with him at Juventus. However, the number one target has already been circled in red, and his name is Leon Goretzka.
Maignan (Torriani, Terracciano)- KIM (De Winter), GILA (Gabbia), Pavlovic (Tomori)- DODO (Alexis, Athekame), GORETZKA (Fofana, ???), Modric (Ricci), Rabiot (Ardon, Zeroli), HERNANDEZ/ROBERTSON (Bartesaghi)- Pulisic (Nkunku/CHIESA), VLAHOVIC (ICARDI, Camarda);
SELL ODOGU, PERVIS, RUBEN, LEAO AND SANTI.
Zeroli is not going places
Id prefer silva than goretska but in this milan financial situation, goretska it’s good addition…
My only concern is the age of those three. Will they be able to cope with the pace in UCL?
No but no Italian club can cope with the pace of the CL. Italy is so far behind the rest of the world. Their tactics have not caught up.
Good player.
But after last summer. I believe the midfield needs the least change.
Focus these funds on new forwards and defenders.
“In fact, the Goretzka-Modric-Rabiot trio is ‘perfect’ in the eyes of Max…”
No way a midfield without a natural number 6 (a destroyer) would be the perfect midfield for a coach like Allegri. These are all box-to-box midfielders with only Modric being able to function as a Regista at best.
I’ve kept calling for the signing of Palhinha because I know he is a natural number 6 with the physicality and pedigree we greatly desire at this time, a pure destroyer.
I would sign Palhinha and pair him with Rabiot as the double pivot in a 4-2-3-1 formation and move Modric to CAM to relief him off defensive duties.
Double pivot:
Palhinha – Rabiot
Sub:
Fofana – Goretzka
With the 4-2-3-1 in use, we definitely do not need any revolution, plus our top players will remain and be functional. We would only need about 4 or 5 quality additions to build a realy strong team.
4-2-3-1:
Osimhen
Leao – Zaniolo – Pulisic
Rabiot – Palhinha
Defense to goalkeeper in check
Sub:
Sorloth
Nkunku – Modric – Saelemaekers
Fofana – Goretzka
Defense to goalkeeper in check.
This is adding only 5 players:
Osimhen
Sorloth
Palhinha
Zaniolo
Goretzka to the team and wouldn’t cost above €150m
Of course, I have a bigger wishlist which contains:
Joelinton
Hjulmand
Tonali
Pedro Porro
Dodo
Udogie
Robertson.
I do think however, that Dodo and Robertson can be achieved from the wishlist and would cost not above €30m to actualize.
Ok, Benardo Silva would also be a great addition for the CAM position, but like @Nana rightly pointed above, the age of the team would be a concern that was why I preferred Zaniolo to Modric to begin with.
After watching Udinese I’d be happy with Zaniolo joining, as long as it’s less than 25M
perfect trio ten years ago maybe
Juventus is struggling the way they are right now cos of the old heads Allegri bought for them for years and since he left, they’ve been struggling to build a new strategy around young players. Milan is about to repeat the same nonsense with Allegri bringing all these retirees to our club. Smh
Milan cannot learn from the pass.. current management didn’t know Max actually once in milan
Perfect trio? LOL. Where’s the creativity? What we need is a midfielder (or two) who can create chances and open defenses with their perfect passes. Goretzka isn’t that.
Ismael Koné is a better fit for the club and a better investment who is ready to pay off immediately. He is a complete player at 23, still has room to improve. I would add him to our midfield before Gotetzka. He is criminally underrated. Waiting another year to acquire him will end up costing us multiples his current valuation or loosing him to a rival team. I seen him play since his teenage years, I know very well he can be a great addition to the team.
People passing up on Goretzka because he’s 31? Wow. Some should stick to football manager.