GdS: Four signings to change Allegri’s Milan – the roles to strengthen and targets identified

Massimiliano Allegri expects quality signings this summer, and a list has emerged that could change the spine of the team.

La Gazzetta dello Sport report that Milan will have to expand and strengthen their squad, a process that’s no easy feat, and even more complex in a summer when Champions League money is expected to arrive.

Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!

Controlling the finances remains key, meaning there is no point in expecting a flood of spending. With five games remaining in the season, various names are on the table with four key positions targeted.

A new No.9

The striker is the alpha and omega of Milan’s summer market. The main focus is on that position, so the main expense will be for that role. The management have several options available but know that they cannot get the choice wrong.

Moise Kean and Robert Lewandowski are perfect examples. They are different ages: 26 and 37. Their transfer fees are different: Kean has a €62m release clause (and will likely cost €45m), Lewandowski is a free transfer.

Their salaries are different: Kean gets €4m per year at Fiorentina, Lewandowski much more. There are many other names available. Dusan Vlahovic is definitely worth considering: Allegri likes him and his contract expires at the end of June.

Then, of course, there’s Sorloth: the Rossoneri are vigilant, because he could say goodbye to Atlético in the summer. Gonçalo Ramos will leave PSG, but his costs are high and his recent past isn’t inviting. It’s a tough decision, therefore.

Defensive steel

The second most important target is a central defender. Mario Gila is the top name, well ahead of any other options. Igli Tare brought him to Italy and has been telling him for months that Milan is a great place.

How much would he cost? Lotito, even with his contract expiring in 2027, is aiming for €20-25m and can do so because the competition is fierce: Napoli, Inter and Juventus are all keen. Whatever happens, 50% will go to Real Madrid.

The alternatives are of a different calibre. Kristensen, the Danish player from Udinese, is popular but less proven. Victor Valdepeñas is another name but he plays in the Spanish third division with Real Madrid Castilla: he could be a reinforcement for the future, nothing more.

Midfield brains

Leon Goretzka just celebrated the Bundesliga title but it will likely be his last for a while. The midfielder’s contract expires in June, Milan have called repeatedly, because Goretzka is highly regarded by Allegri and other management figures.

At 31, he’s considered the ideal addition to play alongside Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot. As a complete player, he could bring a lot to the team, but convincing him isn’t so easy. Goretzka wants to continue playing at the highest level, with a salary that matches his expectations.

Milan have not made any decisive moves on other players so far, though it’s natural that they’ll be keeping an eye on the midfield market, in a summer when Mateo Kovacic – a close friend of Luka Modric – could also be on the move.

Other areas

Only after a top four finish is locked in will AC Milan accelerate and make definitive decisions on the summer’s key issues. The first is the bench, with Allegri and the national team as an option. The top priority is a striker, and the club’s goal is to secure him quickly.

The rest, in order of priority, will follow and will obviously depend on sales. It’s easy to assume Ruben Loftus-Cheek will leave, but it’s less easy to know now whether Youssouf Fofana and Santi Gimenez – to name two not-so-random examples – will stay.

Then there is the wing-backs: Milan are also looking for a player in that position, with a type yet to be determined. Will it be a Saelemaekers-style back-up or a winger to play (also) in a 4-3-3? In the latter case, Antonio Nusa is a very possible option.