AC Milan are already lining up their moves ahead of the January transfer window and they have set aside a budget to try reinforce the squad in the areas they wish to, a report claims.
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According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), the management believe that with more solidity in defence and more goals in attack, the race for the Champions League places would receive a decisive boost.
Milan have identified Clement Lenglet as the player who can satisfy the first point, Serhou Guirassy as the centre-forward who can join the attacking department. A double investment of around €30m, for which the budget has been set aside.
The road that leads to the Stuttgart striker has fewer obstacles given he has a €17m release clause, and he has jumped above Jonathan David in the preference list because he would cost potentially double.
It seems the Rossoneri have decided on Guirassy and they are trying to accelerate. Milan are not the only contender in the running and the deal risks becoming a speed race. Geoffrey Moncada and co. have been making their evaluations for weeks now, increasingly convinced that the 27-year-old is the solution.
The decisive days could be ones in which Guirassy will be involved with Guinea at the African Cup of Nations, with the opening match on 13 January and a possible final on 11 February. Dates that Milan also noted because of Ismael Bennacer’s likely departure.
Guirassy would be an investment for the present and the future and today he is second in the ‘top five’ leagues for goals scored with 16 behind only Harry Kane at the top with 20. Milan also wants to climb positions and take the lead in the group of contenders, so they will attempt a sprint in the next few days.
The issue of the Growth Decree has been in the headlines again recently, and it must also be mentioned in relation to Clement Lenglet. Taking over part of his big salary risks costing between €8-10m, as long as Barcelona participates in paying the rest.
Barcelona also hold the cards for the rest of the operation: Lenglet is on loan at Aston Villa, but has never been used in the Premier League and has only started five Conference League matches. Which is why the player’s approval clearly leans towards Milan and a loan switch there.
The idea is that Barça bring him back from Aston Villa and send him over to the Rossoneri. While the LaLiga side seem open to it, but Villa are not at the moment.
Meanwhile, Milan are less convinced and is about bringing Gabbia back from Villarreal: even in this case it would mean interrupting a loan with the green light from the Spaniards.
There is a doubt regarding Juan Miranda, and if he will arrive now or in the summer. The Rossoneri would like a deputy to Theo Hernandez immediately, before his contract expires in June: a low-cost investment that Milan have budgeted for.
