AC Milan have come into the 2025/26 season with only 22 players, thanks to the wishes of Massimiliano Allegri.
With no Champions League football, Milan have needed to be smart in the mercato, more so than they usually do. Of course, this means that signings have had to be strict, with a limited budget and squad to fill.
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That, it seems, has been taken to the extreme, though, with only 22 players in the squad this year.
Allegri’s request
As Gazzetta dello Sport writes, the Rossoneri have revolutionised, despite earlier words that they would not – something that we wrote about extensively recently. Now, Allegri finds a squad of just 22 at Milanello, it’s not considered short, but very short.
In the past five seasons, the Diavolo have never had a squad less than 26, and then we have to consider that there are only 19 outfield players to fill 10 positions. Is that enough, even without European football?
It will be dependent on several factors, of course. If players perform, if players get injured, and if the nine not selected on matchdays can make an impact.
There are reasonable doubts already about this team, and Allegri will be left with little wiggle room, though the margins are incredibly high. He requested a small team and he has got it. Whether he’ll be the one to pay or profit from that will be seen in May.
I just hope we won’t get injuries on the flanks and in defence notherwise expect another panic winter mercato which will decrease our chances for a Top4 finish drastically imo
I think with new financial year we should have spending power, again. we registered a 14-15M profit from sales this summer.
Vlahovic/Dovbyk for attack; hope we will test more of Puli as box-crasher before that.
quality CB like Alexsandro, Lucumi, Balerdi are a must. or even Comuzzo but I don’t see us spending 30-35M again until summer.
wingback is the issue. quality ones will cost you a limb, while we severely lack in that area. Tomiyasu is another injury prone option (Estupinan, Nkunku are already problematic on that front). maybe Gurreiro for short term?!
(Mingueza and Mykolenko have contract also until 2026 but both are defensive fullbacks, rather than wingbacks)
So…wait until next summer? (Ie next financial year? Or do you mean calendar year….ie winter transfer window…to fix things?)
calendar year – ie winter window
Tomiyasu on 2 year deal can be a good option if we get any injuries on the flank or if we can figure out the extent of his recovery success and chance of relapse
even with your 1 braincell you should realise Milan has more than enough player
why do you fall for rage bait articles so easily?
They don’t have any depth, wake up. You also said RedBird wasn’t going to sell anyone this summer, derp
22 players lmao… even Guardiola had 23 players and unlike us, all of his were quality…
It’s Ben Dixon’s job.
First of all please do enlighten and point out where do u see rage in my post.
Let me try to explain why I wrote the post in the first place:
Eustipan is a big question mark when it comes to staying fit. I think u would agree that is a valid concern and by loaning Jimenez I don’t see a proper back up for him. Bartesaghi is raw and its a gamble going into the season with just him covering the left flank.
Right flank Sale has been awesome but his back up is a young kid from the swiss league.
Regarding the centre backs situation I think we don’t have enough quality among the starters and if we are gonna play 3 5 2 the 5th option as cb is a gamble like the swiss kid on the right and Bartesaghi on the left
We are one injury away from crisis if the starters among the above mentioned positions gets injured.
And now that u have reminded me that I have rage towards Redbird I would like to end this post with…
FORZA MILAN AND FU GERRY!
22-25 players is ideal.
22 is on the lower side but the club is only in one significant competition.
Obviously people on here will freak out. They won’t be able to insult the third choice CF who never plays for his poor performances.
The total number is low but not terrible if you have a) fairly healthy squad and b) players who can play multiple positions.
Someone like Reijnders for example, who can play 90mins without fatiguing and seems to never get injured. Or Zambrotta can cover wingback or full back on both sides.
However we seem to have the opposite. Modric @40 will be quality but surely can’t handle multiple 90mins. Or Estupinan, who can only play left side, and does have some injury history.
We are light because of that, not purely the total number of outfield squad players. Still with a bit of luck it should be fine til at least Jan, at which point maybe Allegri / Tarer can re-assess
Brilliant post!! Exactly my thoughts.
I would add, yes if we had 16 quality players who never break down (Deers and Theo included as per your example above) then I’d also sit more peacefully. But what we have now, is not sufficient on its own and does not meet the requirements for any formation.
Of course we are on the “lighter aide” with only 22 players
Simple reason for that: saves us transfer fees and salaries on an additional 4 players lol.
Gerry needs to save every penny!!!! lol
Just pray the injury bug doesn’t come back to bite us
“Modric @40 will be quality but surely can’t handle multiple 90mins.”
Multiple 90mins? So remind us hiw many times will Milan have 2 match weeks this season… 3? 4? 😀 😀 😀
*how
Guess it leaves them with room to add more players of need in the winter. Although good players aren’t usually available then.
how naby of them are central midfielders? the most expensive one is already out…