As Gerry Cardinale has spoken about in multiple interviews, he does not like being second. That is why a crucial summer awaits in the planning of AC Milan’s future.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes this morning that the air surrounding Milan has changed. Everyone inside the club knows that the next month to month and a half will decide a large part of their future.
The mercato, the organisational structure of the club, the head coach, the stadium, the path in the Europa League: everything is to be defined, and much will be established in the coming weeks.
Cardinale will have to make difficult choices at a time when he is closely following the Paramount deal – RedBird has invested in Skydance, which is in negotiations for the acquisition – and the possible sale of Toulouse.
In short, even without the investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office, it is not the most stable of times. Cardinale has been abroad in the recent past but he could return to Italy: there is a good chance that he will be in Milan for Milan-Roma in the Europa League.
Zirkzee and… ?
The transfer window, among the many decisions, is the most fascinating for the fans. Cardinale must give Milan direction for the summer, like a year ago with the farewell of Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara as directors.
The big underlying question is: to spend or not spend an XL amount, let’s say at least €40-50m, for No.9? History says that no, RedBird (and Elliott Management previously) have always aimed at €10-15-20m operations, to invest in young players to grow or resell at a (much) higher price.
In the Cardinale era, the exception was one: Charles De Ketelaere. Even though it went badly that time, however, logic suggests Milan will spend a lot on a centre-forward in the summer, with Zirkzee a major target.
Joshua wants to stay in Italy, he appreciates Milan and the idea of playing in the Champions League at San Siro, but he costs a lot. For less than €50-60m, Milan will not sign him.
The rest of the window follows, with decisions that are not easy for Cardinale: the midfielder is not a major topic of debate today – one will arrive, without huge expenses -, if anything, the issue is understanding how Milan will respond to possible offers for Bennacer, Leao, Tomori , Maignan, Theo Hernandez. The best players.
The organisational chart
The other major chapter is the reorganisation of the club itself. Cardinale has added Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the structure headed by Giorgio Furlani, with Geoffrey Moncada responsible for transfer decisions and Antonio D’Ottavio sporting director.
The hypothesis that Damien Comolli, currently the president of Toulouse, will begin to take care of Milan as CEO exists. Cardinale and Comolli are in constant contact regarding the sale of Toulouse.
They are a Ligue 1 club owned by RedBird which may soon pass to the Fenway Sports Group, the holding company that owns the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins and Liverpool, of which RedBird owns a share.
The talks will continue, even in person, and there is a possibility that Comolli will begin to deal with Milan once the sale of Toulouse is completed. The past, in which he was transfer manager and not just for Tottenham and Liverpool, says that the jump to a big club would not be new for him.
The future will tell, with a reorganisation which, in this case, would not be simple. Comolli and Furlani can coexist but with Ibrahimovic, Moncada, D’Ottavio and the possible entry of Kirovski, it would not be easy to build a clear hierarchy.
Stadium and U23s
In all of this, we must include the possible changes in the stadium, plans which are not on the agenda today, and the introduction of the second team, which for Milan is definitely more than a hypothesis.
Daniele Bonera is the favourite for the head coach position. The final approval depends on economic logic and the renunciation of a club currently registered in Serie C. In April, in Milan, there is no boredom.
“As Gerry Cardinale has spoken about in multiple interviews, he does not like being second.”
He sold fan favourite, dismantled the project, revamped the squad with foreginers who needed to settle, while sacking the managers that many of the players were fond of. Not to mention all the injuries we had, playing Theo in central defence.
Being second after a summer like that is an overachievement by Pioli so he should be glad!
It’s only from next season on, where majority of new players are settled, we can target more. If they don’t decide to sell another key player and have another shopping spree.
Gerry doesn’t like being second, well Jerry also doesn’t like spending money!
He will be judged by his actions not his words. If he sells a star player to reinvest in a bunch unproven players that will show winning is not really the priority.
I would suggest this is what our best players are waiting to see, whether this team will take the next step forward or continue to reinvent the team each year
By doing so he saved the club for next 3-5yrs. Just look where Maldini signings are and where is Tonali.
I’m not sure why you are bringing up Maldini or Tonali?
But if you want to play that game – Maldini signed
Theo, Leao, Mike, Tomori, Bennacer, Giroud and not to forget Tonali (who fetched us a huge sum of money) amongst others.
Without Maldini you could argue you won’t have Pulisic, RLC and the rest of the signings because of the Tonali money, the same Tonali he had to beg them to sign, beg them to sign Ibra..who is now in their very management structure lol 😂
The work of Maldini and Massara is actually setting us up for the next few years. We have legit pieces we can sell to fund transfer windows for the next 3-5 years (Theo, Mike and Leao)
Accounts were already clean when Maldini was working in the project. A project that brought us Scudetto. Under clean accounts.
We will not have to wait long to see if he really means that.
Coming mercato and San Donato progress will indicate what he really is about