The AC Milan management know that the midfield has been the key during recent battles (and losses) against Inter, and they are planning moves to plug the gap.
La Gazzetta dello Sport confirm that Milan are considering signing both Youssouf Fofana and Lazar Samardzic to shake-up the midfield, knowing how important it is to have quality but above all balance in the engine room.
Giorgio Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada know that in order to sign the Frenchman and the Serbian in the same window, it is necessary to raise money by selling Ismael Bennacer (especially if an Arab club pay the €50m clause) plus Yacine Adli or Tommaso Pobega.
This is both for economic reasons and because the management’s desire is not to have an extra-large squad, but rather 23 players who are all ready to be called upon. Now that the attack has been shored up with the closing of the Alvaro Morata deal, the focus shifts to the other departments.
A year ago Samardzic was in fact an Inter player and had even undergone a medical with the Nerazzurri, but the deal fell through because the player’s father had reneged on the agreement for the contract reached with another intermediary asking for more money for commissions and salary.
The Serbian thus remained in Udine even after the January transfer window, when Napoli’s assault failed also due to the late hijack attempt from Juventus, which was not successful. Samardzic now expects to make the jump to a big club and Milan are a very welcome destination.
Finding a basic agreement over terms was quite simple and now an agreement with Udinese is needed, but Pozzo has no intention to sell the 22-year-old for a bargain price and around €20m will be required.
Samardzic’s father and his agent are expected at Casa Milan this week to discuss the details of the contract, then they will turn to the Friulians. Milan believe that he can play as a mezzala and as a playmaker, allowing a switch from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1.
Fofana meanwhile is just waiting for a signal to leave for Italy and sign for Milan. He reached an agreement with the Rossoneri and through his agent he has explained to Monaco that he does not intend to renew his contract expiring in 2025.
This means that the Ligue 1 club must sell to avoid losing him on a free and that is why Milan are pushing to pay €15m including bonuses, but they started with a lower figure. It is far from the €20m requested but there is optimism, and he would provide much-needed physicality.
It would make sense if they wouldn’t let Bennacer go, because aside from Fofana he is only one in the squad that can play as defensive midfielder.
Bennacer can’t play CDM, he’s terrible at it, both him and Sandro were absolutely terrible when they alternated the role, remember when Loftus-Cheek destroyed them in the Champions League. Both were terrible and we ended up paying for it with 5th place in the league. Both Sandro and Bennacer needed Kessie next to them in that destroyer role, they are both just your atypical Mezzala, with Bennacer even being more of a regista than even a Mezzala. But definitely not a destroyer.
Lol Loftus Cheek has never destroyed neither Bennacer nor Tonali, thats just something Cardinale fans came up with to sell him like a great signing. If he was so good Chelsea would have kept him. And yea we saw last season that he destroys no one lol.
Go back and watch the game…
Clearly you just check the score and don’t watch the matches, he completely destroyed them, put in a man of the match performance in both matches, Tonali and Bennacer were made to look like Jorginho and Locatelli, 2 slow useless Mezzala.
Pirla, not the first time I’ve seen the dumbest crap coming from you.
And you were probably napping when Loftus Cheek was on fire at the start of the season and then got injured and our midfield when to sh*t.
RCL had one amazing game where he dominated and then had 4 poor ones where he was invisible. There is a reason we got him on the cheap – and that is his entire career he has either been injured or inconsistent – and that hasn’t necessarily changed with us.
RLC is also not a DM – not anywhere close. He prefers to play in an advanced role – so the comparisons with Kessie don’t make much sense. Ya He is a physical specimen but unfortunately doesn’t use that size to dominate as he should.
I like RLC – BUT IF we sign Fofana (and Sama) where is he going to play exactly??
Reindjers and Fofana would be unquestioned starters. So RLC could play on side of Fofana in a mid 3 – but then one of Pulisic or Chuk sits. If we play. Double pivot and he plays CAM – Pulisic or Chuk sits. Add Sarmardic and it best even more complicated.
And BTW – Musah is still an expensive backup LOL.
Bingo. That game where RLC apparently “destroyed” our midfield was probably the same kind of game where he bossed PSG …AND then went totally invisible the next 4-5 games. Not sure if these guys were around last season but the running joke was he’d have one good game every 5 games and it was a guess as to which game he’d show up next.
People should ask themselves on when he destroyed our midfield….was it just ours or all other midfields he’s played against?! And if he’s soo good why didn’t Chelsea just keep him or other teams try to get him? (Btw and that’s my boy Maldinis pick too)
Btw no way Puli sits. And also therefore Chuk is an expensive backup along with Musah
Sorry but don’t ambitions mean we have expensive backups?
I mean we cannot play the same 11 in 50 games. (See Pioli + Giroud)
Even though I’m open to Bennacer leaving, I completely do share your sentiment.
Because in actual fact, in our current squad, Benny is the best tackler. I know his size and movement are better suited for him playing slightly higher up, but with his aggression and positional sense he has successfully played this role in the past for us.
I mean not this Benny we know now though, he is yer to be back since after the surgery. A fully fit and in form Benny will definitely be an asset for us any day and anytime.
Monaco are idiots if they aren’t taking the 15m, nobody is paying 20m for a player if you can just get him for free, sign him up when he has 6 months left on his contract for 0 transfer fee. 12-15m now, or nothing in January, choice is yours. This is why I don’t understand why people were crying about spending 20m, it would be ridiculously stupid to spend that type of money for the above mentioned reason. Just shows how little these “fans” know about football.
You’re a superior breed of fan, enlighten us please. Tell us how Tonali and Bennacer were bad af without Kessié and still we went to the UCL semifinals without him, or without SuperLoftus-Cheek who had a great Euro. Ah no he wasn’t called by England, shame.
Can you tell us who did play vs Milan that season and how those matches ended ? Milan had easy way up to semis and they were embarrassed against inter. In group stage they were destroyed vs Chelsea and had to deal vs Dinamo and RB Salzburg. In league they ended up 4th (5th without point deduction for Juve) so it was pretty bad without Kessie.
I’m always confused by fans that diminish the merit of our own team. “Lucky Scudetto”, “lucky UCL semifinals”. Alright. Milan lost against Inter in the first leg with Leao injured and Bennacer getting injured at the beginning of the game. Not as embarrassing as losing 1-5 or losing at home to see Inter lift the Scudetto and get a second star. But yeah Milan was 2nd with a whopping +5 pts compared to 2023. No need to compare the European competitions, we all know how it went last season.
LMAO I swear it’s just sayings to fit a narrative. We were utter trash in Europe.
+5 points, worse defence than last year (note major changes were the new mids), thumped twice in the derby, out of Europe by January and all that for 120+m and they call it a success??? Make that make sense.
We got zero articles on how we did during the season and I know why. Ppl still drinking the cool aid. Id love to chime in.
And 28 millions combined for Chuk and 20 millions for Musah when they were both in final year of their contracts was reasonable?
How conveniently biased from you.
Yeah, that’s not how it works though. Let’s say scouts agree he has a value of around 30m; that means he’s a good value for anything like 5-10 less than that, because add on costs and everything and you’ll likely be able to get most of that value back. All you need is more than one club to be interested and the offers will go up. Only reason to say ‘yes’ now is if their succession plan is in place.
But if you’re Monaco, how easy is he to replace? Won’t be many French international midfielders lined up to sign for them. So maybe holding on to him helps them win a couple more games in Europe or qualify for UCL next season. In which case, what’s the point of taking 15M now? You’ll have to spend more than that for an untried replacement anyway.
Forza Milan
Forza Milan
“This is both for economic reasons and because the management’s desire is not to have an extra-large squad, but rather 23 players who are all ready to be called upon”. Agreed but then why pushing to have 2 well paid strikers always starting on the bench when Okafor can also cover? Maybe they’ve regretted extending Jovic. But all the teams have a starter ,a senior backup and an understudy from the youth team. A squad of 23 is perfect with 3 goalkeepers and 2 players for each other positions with youth team players coming in as 3rd choices or 4th seeing several senior players will be able to cover more positions. That’s how you get the best out of everyone (including a path to growing your youths) and your money.
It makes sense to take 50 million for Bennacer. He has numerous fitness issues and while I loved his impact, it’s time to part ways.
Following on from what they did last season, good moves so far by the management. Now, I’m hoping Bennacer stays even after bringing in these two. We need him as a backup to Fofana. That would bring good competition, and make these players better. I’d love to see Fullkrug. He would need to improve on his dribbling. Okafor would have to fight it out with Leao, or the other strikers for starting position. Ultimately, this would bring out the best in them. I see a stronger team next season. I’m getting excited already.
i think if clubs were willing to pay 50M for Bennacer, we would know by now…but it’s good posturing…
Yea sell Bennacer at your peril. Based on the game today he’s clearly still the best mid for the pivot and DM spot. Not sure if fofs can play well enough there. It doesn’t make sense to ship out on of the few functional players in the team
Also, ever thought that maybe Monaco values Fofana like how we values Kessie. That his presence was worth more than selling him even for 20m? Plus as a free agent, guess what…the commission is higher, the wages are higher and more clubs compete. That’s the risk. That’s what is embedded in the price.
Agree 💯
I think it depends on what Fonseca want for his starter 3 AMs behind 1 striker :
1. Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao
2. Pulisic, Loftus-Cheeks, Leao (Like past season)
If Fonseca want the option 1, Milan will after 1 RW for Chukwueze’s backup, not another mids. And need to sell atleast 1 mids, because it was too much : 6 players for 2 pivots pos (Bennacer, Reijnders, Pobega, Musah, Loftus-Cheeks, Adli).
If Fonseca keep the option 2 from past season, AMC will be Loftus-Cheeks & Adli (Because it was his usual pos before move to be pivot – Regista).
If we buy Samardzic, he will be an AMC so 1 or even 2 mids will leave. And no need for more RW.