AC Milan will be without Ruben Loftus-Cheek for the game against Juventus tomorrow but they will have Rade Krunic back, and it shows the midfield revolution is working.
As Calciomercato.com report, the fact that Loftus-Cheek is not back yet for the game against Juve is of course a shame, but Krunic returning to Pioli’s disposal increases the possibilities of choice in arguably the most crucial department of the team.
Tijjani Reijnders (two assists in eight games) has settled in well. He played both games for the Netherlands against France and Greece but the summer signing is not one who rests a lot and barring the Newcastle game in the Champions League he has started every match since his move from AZ Alkmaar.
With Juve, Paris Saint-Germain and then Napoli to come, it will require a large dosage of energy that at least in the immediate future will not affect Reijnders, especially with Krunic and Loftus-Cheek hopefully back to 100% from midweek.
Krunic in particular been able to reinvent himself in a position of defensive midfielder, while the issue of his renewal continues. Milan and his entourage have spoken to each other and will do so again to try to reach an agreement to extend the agreement expiring in 2025.
Loftus-Cheek instead belongs to the long list of incoming transactions that so far prove Moncada and Furlani’s assessments right: a purchase worth €21.5m in total which has thus far repaid expectations and has helped the Rossoneri not regret the sale of Sandro Tonali.
Then there is Yunus Musah (eight appearances, one assist) who was chased for over a month and eventually signed from Valencia for €20m including bonuses. He has shown himself as versatile and dynamic.
Reijnders, Musah (or Pobega alternatively) and Yacine Adli will most likely be the midfield that Pioli will use against Juventus, and Adli is a story in himself of how to carve out space with hard work and a willingness to adapt.
The perseverance shown by the Franco-Algerian from a physical, tactical and psychological point of view has convinced Pioli, and he only cost €8.5m plus bonuses in the summer of 2021 whe. he was signed from Bordeaux.
This modus operandi that Milan would like to use again also with a view to next summer for Assan Ouedraogo, a 17-year-old talent at Schalke 04 who has a €20m release clause. The Rossoneri are evaluating a considerable investment, and the recent signs suggest their judgement hasn’t been wrong.
If it took Adli 15 months to see the field, how long would it take Ouedraogo to play?
27 months
2 assists? I thought he only had one 🤔
Oh I see they counted the one vs Cagliari where the kepper saved/parried the ball onto Okafor. Hmmm 🤔. Most sites have 1 assist while transfermarkt has 2. Not sure how Serie A counts their assists in regards to parried shots that become goals
Samuele Ricci next season for regista!! Or bring back Tonali if we can get him back on the cheap after his recent shenanigans. Milan needs more Italians to fill the Serie A and UCL squad quota.
Next season, sell Krunic if his contract demands remain ludicrous. If big offers arrive for Bennacer and RLC, sell them too as both are injury prone. A starting midfield of Reijnders-Ricci/Tonali-Musah with Adli, Pobega and another new DM like the Schalke kid as rotation would be good