It seems likely that Olivier Giroud will leave AC Milan this summer, and if he does, the Rossoneri need to replace his role both on and off the pitch.
With Milan seemingly unwilling to offer the Frenchman more game time, his departure looks increasingly likely. Therefore, the club needs to evaluate his characteristics on and off the pitch if they look to replace him in a like-for-like way.
There can be no denying that Giroud is a vital figure in the dressing room – with a career spanning almost 20 years, he has a tremendous amount of experience at the highest level, and he will be a point of advice and expertise in the dressing room.
Therefore, Milan must look to replicate this while ensuring that they replace his contributions correctly. However, this will ideally be done by a headline summer recruit, with rumours extensively linking the Diavolo to a big-money move for a striker.
As Gazzetta dello Sport reports, there is a possibility that the Rossoneri might see Mauro Icardi as being able to fulfil this role. The Argentine striker looks likely to leave Galatasaray this summer, and given his experience and past in Serie A, he might be a wildcard to replace the Frenchman.
