This afternoon, Bundesliga will return to action after months without any football due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Although we will have to wait a few more weeks for Serie A, there are a few players to watch in Germany.
As Ralf Rangnick is expected to take over AC Milan from next season, the Rossoneri have been linked with several Bundesliga players in recent weeks. In addition to the potential signings, they also have one loanee in the league.
We are talking about Andre Silva, of course, who moved to Eintracht Frankfurt when Milan signed Ante Rebic. The latter has become an important player for the team, meaning a permanent transfer is of the essence.
Both players signed on a two-year loan and the clubs are expected to meet soon, ready to discuss how they should proceed. A swap deal definitely shouldn’t be ruled out, but it hinges on Andre Silva’s performances.
With regards to the Rossoneri’s targets, the fans should keep an extra eye on four of them: Luca Kilian, Amadou Haidara, Mario Götze and Paulinho. Bar the latter, all of them will be in action today provided that the managers use them.
According to Kicker, Milan are keeping tabs on Kilian and he could even be Rangnick’s first signing at the club. The 20-year-old plays as a defender for Paderborn and has a €2m release clause in his contract.
This season, he has made 14 appearances in all competitions and it would have been more if it wasn’t for a muscle injury. Despite his young age, he has performed with great continuity and thus attracted the interest of several big clubs.
Moving on to Haidara, the 22-year-old has made 21 appearances for RB Leipzig in all competitions, including six in the Champions League. Playing in a central-midfield role, his main strengths are dribbling and aerial duels.
According to Calciomercato.com, he has a price tag of €15m and the Rossoneri scouts have added him to their list of targets. Of course, Rangnick will be an important factor as well, seeing as he has followed him closely at the club.
Then we have Götze, whose contract with Borussia Dortmund will expire at the end of the season. After rejecting the chance to sign him in January, per the same report, Milan are now monitoring the situation as Rangnick likes him.
The German prefers to play as an attacking midfielder, using his low centre of gravity to get past defenders and set up chances for himself as well as his teammates. His experience could be important for the Rossoneri, but the high salary is an obstacle.
Finally, the talented Paulinho. The 19-year-old has made 12 appearances in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen (two in Champions League), bagging three goals and one assist in the process.
According to Nico Schira, Milan have opened talks with the youngster’s agent. Rangnick would welcome the signing as he wants to build a young and fast side that is capable of playing intense, high-pressing football.
There are two honourable mentions, namely Kris Piatek and Julian Nagelsmann. The Polish striker left Milan on a permanent basis in January and now plays for Hertha Berlin, where he has found the back of the net twice.
As for the RB Leipzig manager, there have been reports suggesting that he could be the new head coach of Milan, with Rangnick taking on a role as director instead. However, this hypothesis remains unlikely.
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