Strahinja Pavlovic might not be the only new central defender to arrive at AC Milan this summer, because the rumours about Malick Thiaw’s potential sale are gathering momentum.
Some changes in the defensive department were always likely after Milan conceded 69 goals across all competitions last season, but there is the possibility that – in addition to Pavlovic – a sale could be used to finance further incomings. La Gazzetta dello Sport‘s report reveals a bit more.
Thiaw in demand
The Milan management have been working on Pavlovic for some time now and the situation is clear: they have the green light from the Serbian who is putting pressure on Salzburg to be sold to the Rossoneri.
Yesterday the two clubs had new contact and the gap between offer and demand has narrowed. Not yet enough to allow for handshakes, but there is optimism and the possibility of closing the deal quickly.
Then there is Thiaw who, while waiting for Pavlovic to be a done deal, is considered by Fonseca to be the starter next to Fikayo Tomori. Newcastle have long had their eye on the centre-back who Milan signed in August 2022 by paying almost €9m Schalke 04.
In the eyes of the Premier League club, what has remained above all are the German’s performances in the round of 16 of the 2022-23 Champions League when he nullified a certain Harry Kane and allowed Pioli’s team to eliminate Tottenham.
Thiaw has performed at that level in other ways, but he has also made some mistakes, showing normal ups and downs for a 22-year-old. The Magpies are thinking of making a €30m bid, but that will not be enough to convince the Rossoneri.
To sit down at a table and negotiate, the starting price must be at least €40m, i.e. a significant figure that would be reinvested in other profiles. Sandro Tonali’s farewell last summer shows that relations between the clubs are good.
Possible replacements
With Thiaw’s departure and Pavlovic’s arrival, Fonseca would have a sufficient number of centre-backs (given Pierre Kalulu and Matteo Gabbia are also in the squad), but the idea of signing another is also concrete in light of the many commitments on the 2024-25 calendar.
Igor has been followed since his days at Fiorentina, who sold him last summer to Brighton. It was Roberto De Zerbi who pushed to bring him in for €17m plus €3m in bonuses but he has since left and the Seagulls do not consider him unsellable.
Then there is Jhon Lucumì, the Colombian who plays at Bologna where he arrived from Genk in 2022 for €8m. After two seasons in which he showed considerable reliability, he is now worth three times that.
His value could have been even higher if a muscle injury had not ended his Copa America campaign 25 minutes into his debut match. Taking him away from Bologna, at the starting line of the Champions League without Riccardo Calafiori, will be anything but easy.
However, Lucumi was followed by the Rossoneri (with great attention) even when he played in Belgium and his performances in 2023-24 have not gone unnoticed. With Pavlovic and Igor or Lucumi, Milan would exhaust the places reserved for non-EU players for next season.
This is a detail not to be underestimated, but which certainly does not exclude the moves, because strengthening the defence is considered a priority after what happened last season.
