It is looking more and more like Olivier Giroud will not remain at AC Milan beyond the end of the season and that has forced the management to look into potential replacements, a report claims.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) this morning, Giroud is tempted to take his wife Jade and his children Aria, Aaron and Evan to the United States, and not on holiday.
The striker’s contract with Milan will expire at the end of the season and he has been gradually making his decision in recent weeks. The final choice will be made later, probably in May, but his priority is to try the MLS.
The chances of Giroud moving in the summer are increasing and talks between the 37-year-old and the United States have intensified.
The possible paths
The two alternative paths – another season at Milan or another European experience – remain possible but decidedly subordinate to the main one. A negotiation is underway and by mid-March the list of possible destinations can already be greatly narrowed down.
Basically, to the franchises of two cities: New York and Los Angeles. That is where Giroud imagines his future, and he spoke about it openly in January: “At the end of the season more opportunities will open up and I will make my decision. As a footballer and as a family man.”
The key is those two words: family man. Giroud got a lot from football and he gave a lot to football. His stats, at 37 years old, are of a top level: he has already scored 12 goals in Serie A season, plus one in the Champions League and one in the Europa League.
If he celebrated another goal in Verona this afternoon, he would equal his best Milan season and increase his chances of reaching 20 goals for the campaign, a feat he hasn’t achieved since 2016.
The choice, though, will not depend on the stimuli of the field or on a drop in performance, but on family priorities. The United States can open a new dimension for the future of Giroud, who has not hidden that he sees himself as a director in the future.
The replacement(s)
In this situation, Milan are spectators. They can propose a renewal to Giroud but they know that, this time, the choice will not be technical or economic. Regardless, then, the management thus have to look around.
They can unilaterally renew Luka Jovic’s contract and already knows that a new No.9 will be the big investment of the summer. Milan is looking for a young centre-forward with great qualities and potential.
Two names top the list: Joshua Zirkzee and Benjamin Sesko. Zirkzee is more technical, more creative, more particular, certainly not a classic striker. Sesko is more physical, attacks space in behind and is a predator inside the penalty area.
Both are expensive and have complex situations. For Sesko, Milan need to talk to Leipzig, who certainly won’t sell him cheaply. For Zirkzee there is a complex combination with Bologna and Bayern Munich, who have the possibility of signing him back for €40m.
Santiago Gimenez of Feyenoord, Jonathan David of Lille and Viktor Gyökeres of Sporting Lisbon are alternative candidates, all popular for one reason or another, but David’s resurgence (21 goals this season) means he won’t be cheap either.
thought it was about pavlidis. just another gds fairy tale with no point. media talking about milan buying a 50M ST all season long then in summer we will get a 30yo something 5M purchase
yeah should just give up Milan’s Serie A status and sign up for Serie D, then Maldini can come buy the club and save it
Shame we didnt get Aubameyang while he was free. Would thick a lot of boxes. Speaking of France, David is back to his bombing ways. 11 goals in this calendar year, he’ll be back on Milan rumors soon D:
If he really keep his current form till the end of season, I won’t mind him actually. If he can reach more than 20 non penalty goals this season he’ll likely be decent, especially if he wont renew his contract so he can come cheap.
That being said, I’ll still prefer someone else like Gimenez or Pavlidis though.
Jonathan David contract is coming to the end so at least 40m
Hard to find a replacement that is at least on par with Giroud. Even harder to find such with a figure Milan can afford.
Would be best to renew him for a year. Even with a pay rise if necessary.
We will hardly be in a financial position to compete with English clubs regarding the transfer of Gyökeres or Zirkzee! It is likely that the club management will try to find a simpler solution where, according to the good old custom, they will negotiate for weeks and try to lower the price. I think that J. David comes as the most likely candidate. How good he would be for Milan, it’s hard for me to judge at this moment!
Giroud should have left after Milan won the scudetto. It’s clear that he is slow and old and he is always too far behind the wingers when we counter attack.
All these names are not the right profile Milan needs. Milan need to sign at least 2 strikers this summer.
Girona Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk is the player we should go for and we should also Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri who will be a free agent this summer.
Those are the 2 best options for Milan currently. Both these strikers are tall, strong and good at playing as a lone striker with their backs to the goal and they are proving themselves to quality players at the right age of 26yrs old.
The way I see it, we need a proper hitman, not a creative type like Zirkzee.
If Giroud stays, we should keep Jovic and hopefully make a good new signing.
If Giroud leaves we still buy the best striker we can and bring back Colombo and keep Jovic.
We can’t afford to buy 2 strikers, especially with the gaping hole we have in midfield
Okafor is our next no. 9.. only signed earlier to learn a thing or two from Giroud,hope he has(or will,season still running)
According by Transfermarkt he is our top scorer and top assister and he’s also not injury prone despite his age unlike the majority of our squad who are much younger than him, so not sure why we wont keep him at least for another year and let see about it as his form this year was still good despite his age.
He scores. He assists. He loves the club. Tifosi love him. There is nothing much to think about. He will keep scorinf in the next 2 or 3 years without any problem. Plus, he is way too good for america.