AC Milan were able to give some valuable minutes to Primavera players in the 6-0 friendly win over Pro Sesto, and their plan for three of them has emerged.
Calciomercato.com writes how the preseason opener on Saturday afternoon served also an opportunity to see the youth of the Primavera at work in the first team and three in particular shone in the second half against Pro Sesto: striker Lorenzo Colombo, left-back Milos Kerkez and centre-back Luca Stanga.
Milan aim to make the most of them given the ethos imposed by owners Elliott Management and have quite clear ideas about what to do with each player.
Lorenzo Colombo: He showed his qualities in the last preseason, convincing Milan to promote him to the first team, but after finding little playing time he was loaned to Cremonese for the second half of the season, where he scored only one goal in 13 appearances.
Colombo will remain until Giroud and Rebic get back from their post-Euros holidays and then he will leave on loan to continue his growth. In June he refused Brescia, waiting for more offers from ambitious Serie B teams, and in the meantime he tries to show off as much as possible.
Milos Kerkez: The 17-year-old arrived on the last day of the last winter market from FC ETO Gyor to reinforce Giunti’s Primavera, but with a view to the first team, given that Milan did not yet have a deputy to Theo Hernandez.
His first half season with the Rossoneri was not particularly positive as he did not shine in the Primavera and he never made his debut with the first team. He came on for Theo Hernandez against Pro Sesto and bombed down the left, getting forward more than the Frenchman but with a lot less effectiveness.
However, he scored his first goal and ended with a brace after a great run and shot. The arrival of Ballo-Touré closes the doors of the first team for the moment, but Milan’s idea is to keep him in the Primavera for another season to play in the UEFA Youth League.
Luca Stanga: Stanga is a verstaile defender who can play right-back or centre-back, and he was the most pleasant surprise on Saturday, even if his name already appeared on the squad list for Fiorentina-Milan on 21 March.
He defended with order, pressing high, always clean in the tackle, never making mistakes and not giving any space to the forwards of the Pro Sesto. Milan want to keep him in the Primavera for one more season, but the call-ups for the first team could increase for him next season, and of course the UEFA Youth League will allow him to be tested against the best academies in Europe.
READ MORE: AC Milan 2020-21 season review – Part 2 – Tactical introspection including strengths and weaknesses
