AC Milan have been a lot more active on the transfer market than the rest of the Serie A teams this summer and there’s good reason for that. While others are scrambling for a budget, the Rossoneri have everything worked out.
In his latest piece for The Athletic, James Horncastle discussed the situation of Serie A in general and why a club like Milan have been so active compared to the rest (who are standing still). To make a long explanation short, it boils down to the financial health of the clubs.
Paolo Scaroni announced yesterday that Milan will make a profit in the financial year of 2022-23; their first profit since 2006. Meanwhile, the likes of Inter and Juventus are struggling financially and this is affecting their mercato strategies, as explained by Horncastle.
To name an example, Inter were forced to sell their star Marcelo Brozovic in order to secure the services of Davide Frattesi from Sassuolo. Furthermore, the €329m loan from the US hedge fund Oaktree – which will continue to increase due to interest – hangs over their heads.
Milan’s transfer budget may have tripled thanks to the sale of Sandro Tonali to Newcastle, but the Rossoneri have been following a detailed plan. CEO Giorgio Furlani, chief scout Geoffrey Moncada, Hendrik Almstadt and the data team as well as RedBird figures Luke Bornn and Billy Beane have all been involved in the process.
All the while keeping the accounts in order, making them a priority, unlike most of the Serie A teams. This is also why Milan have been able to move swiftly on the market, while others have had to scramble for funds.
Furthermore, the Rossoneri have avoided hefty signings, finding their sweet spot at around €20m per player. This is something we discussed at length in a recent feature.
