In recent years, AC Milan’s summer mercato movements can be described as underwhelming at times, and the 2022-23 summer mercato is an example of this. However, the improvements made in the 2023-24 summer window have set a standard that the Rossoneri must keep up.
The story of the 2022 mercato was Charles De Ketelaere, who failed to find his feet in Milan and moved to Atalanta this season on loan. However, the window as a whole was underwhelming and deemed a ‘failure’.
Looking at the acquisitions from last summer, though, there can be a lot more positivity. The positives are, undoubtedly, topped by Christian Pulisic, who is having the best season of his career so far in his debut season, and credit also has to go to Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who has been decisive on several occasions.
Additionally, Luka Jovic and Noah Okafor have impressed occasionally too, but given their circumstances, it would be fairer to deem them neutrally rather than a straight success or failure.
As a result, CorSport (via MilanNews) have stated that this trend must continue for the Rossoneri, and recruitment must follow the same pattern, if not better. The recruits have played a vital part in Milan’s route to the Europa League quarter-finals, and if they can continue to recruit well, they will see improvements both domestically and in Europe.
But but but but Maldini’s Heir said the signings were very disruptive and we should have renewed Krunic for five years and kept Messias lol.
what arguments you have that the signings were not disruptive? We’ve had a lot of games where the players had a hard time finding each other especially in tight spaces against closed teams. Even Pulisic, Okafor and Jovic started getting into the rhythm in the later months, and defensively we’re still not working properly as a unit. It’s obvious that when you join a new team there’s a learning and adapting period with inherent risks
If someone wanted to renew Krunic during summer, I could understand that (although not fully support it). Last year he was an important part of the team that made it to the semifinals of CL, never complained and always helped fill gaps putting the team before himself. You could sub him to replace RLC in the last 20 min to defend a lead and put a game to bed. Iirc against Dortmund he even played as a central defender when Thiaw got injured. Positionally and defensively he’s better than any of our current midfielders, so it’s something that our team currently lacks, I’m not saying he’s the best midfielder out there, I’m just saying in some things he was better than the rest of our midfielders.
If you’re going to blast people at least provide better arguments
You have no clue what you’re even talking about. Our right side was dead in the water and we reinforced that. I get it. You wanted to see two goal a season Alexis and Messias for another season.
You don’t even have an argument and are essentially clueless. You think our team last season was better than what we have now. Of course new signings take varying amounts of time acclimate. Nobody is disputing that. But if we didn’t reinforce we would have failed to reach the CL again.
Also defensively we are getting better and that was down to injury in players we already had.
So much for being disruptive.
Lol. Also Krunic was in awful form, bud. There is a reason he fell out of favor. One dimensional player. Reijnders was a huge upgrade. So much for disruption.
“Reijnders was a huge upgrade”
you do KNOW that Reijndeers was playing WITH Krunic, and they were not replacing each other… right?
What I do know is that Krunic was a starter for most of last year and this year at the beginning… Last year in Serie A in the last 17 games we played we lost only three games where Krunic was not a starter . In CL, Krunic was a 90 minute player in all games against Tottenham, Napoli and Inter. Those are FACTS.
I’m not saying don’t upgrade, or don’t add new players but thank you for letting me know I’m clueless, I didn’t have a clue about that…
Also I wasn’t attacking you, I was attacking your argument… your argument was lousy.
Krunic was absolute doo doo. He didn’t leave in the summer. We all know that. Thanks Captain Obvious. He left in the winter. Your stats mean nothing. Krunic was bang average last season. It was other players that were key. Like Leao.
You are the one with a lousy argument. Krunic fanboys hilarious… we almost missed out on the CL last season. If Juve didn’t have a point deduction, we would have.
Krunic this season before leaving was absolute rubbish. Once he left, our team improved dramatically.
You’re making false and stupid equivalences saying our team form relied on Krunic last season. You are wrong. Krunic was a frustrating player and one dimensional. He couldn’t even pass.
It was a funny plan by management not to sign a DM last summer. As you say Tonali/Krunic were a solid pair on our CL run.
It seemed wise to me to keep Krunic as we had no DM and didn’t sign one, even if we had he would have been useful as back up.
I wanted another DM because Krunic wasn’t great in that role. I wanted a natural DM, especially because of Bennacer’s injury woes.
Should’ve kept Mr Betting Man so online fans can be happy about such an average player as if he’s the next Gattuso-Seedorf hybrid.
Are you an offline fan?
More of a Off His Rocker fan.
aw are you mad that your doomsaying in the summer didnt come true?
Time will tell in terms of judging a mercato with so many signings.
Pulisic- Success
Sportiello – Success
Reijnders – Success
RLC – pass
Musah – pass
Okafor – pass
Jovic – pass
Romero – has not contributed
Pellegrino – has not contributed
Terraciano – has not contributed
Chucky – as of now failure
Give me a break. RLC has been a success. And so have Okafor and Jovic if you consider the contributions they have made coming off the bench. That has been a huge factor and goals per minutes played has been very good for them.
Obviously Chuku has been a disappointment but even he has scored a couple important goals for us.
Thats why I said, time will tell.
I’m a big fan of Okafor but if you are not a regular starter, then you cannot be considered a success – YET.
RLC was bought to play midfield, he is not doing that. He scores some goals but does not do enough work in midfield, nor has he the quality to be a no. 10.
I’d be happy to have him as a squad player, just not a starter.
Again , not true. Okafor was not brought in to be a starter. Where do you think he was going to start? He and Jovic were brought in to provide depth which the team severely lacked last season. Now we have one of the most productive benches in the league. That is why they were brought in and it has been a success. Only so many people can start, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been productive and helped the team win. When you compare to what we got out of our bench players last season, it is a huge success.
Absolutely Jovic and Okafor have contributed and I believe Okafor can do very well.
However if you were explaining his season to a non fan, what can you say – He had a few mins here and there, got injured, gradually got back fitness, did well with limited opportunities etc
I hope he will be a great success, and I hope Pioli has more faith in him.
Also there were plenty of places up for grabs in attack with only really Leao a guaranteed starter at the beginning of the season.
Happily Okafor can play anywhere across the forward line
And RLC leads the team in goals in 2024, and he does more work than people like to give him credit for. The few games that he was out injured this season is probably the worst Milan looked all season.
On this I disagree, majority of games if you watch him closely he is waiting for the ball, very static.
Doesn’t really track back and hassle the opposition, doesn’t know when to release the ball or pick the right pass.
He is physically imposing and has good control and finishing.
At the end of the day, I just don’t see him as a top level player.
If we got offered 25m or so from Saudi I’d take it and buy Samardzic from Udinese
RLC and now Musah are getting better and better, so they can be moved into the success category. Jovic was doing well for a while but faded a little. Nonetheless he bailed us out many times. I’d put him as a success too purely from an economic standpoint. Hopefully he can get back to scoring soon.
Okafor is also almost there. His form has been on a sharp upswing.
I still believe in Chukwueze, but other wise it was a very successful Mercato.
Yeah Musah has talent, hopefully he will prove to be a success.
Okafor I am very optimistic about and hope to see more of him, he has all the tools to be top class.
As you say Jovic has been a worthwhile addition for economic reasons and I think we should keep him, still he has some way to go before being considered a success.
RLC has not convinced me at all, far too irregular, with the odd great game and many where he is anonymous.
Hopefully Chucky finds his feet, or at least his right foot!
Yeah and before that it was FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL and only Thiaw passed
??
Krunic was defensively trash. Don’t know where some get these talking points.
Not sure how we are a success this year. Inter getting second star before us and are 14 points clear and we didn’t even make knock out stages in UCL. Yes Pulisic Sportiello and RLC have done well – although RLC is inconsistent like he has his whole career – Okafor and Reindjers have been solid; Musah is raw but has the potential; Chuck a bust; Jovic average at best ok for a backup; Romero Pelligrino Terracino – no contribution. But the standings tell the tail. And if not for Napoli and now Juve’s collapse we wouldn’t be 2nd. And what matters is UCL. U don’t go from semi finals to not even qualify for knock out and say it’s a success IMO. So while there are some individuals that have done well it’s the collective that has underperformed and that is what matters.