Stefano Pioli has asked the management to get him a new striker ahead of the summer transfer window and several names are being considered, a report claims.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) writes that Pioli is awaiting reinforcements to strengthen his squad after securing a top four finish, and at least one cent-reforward who can support Olivier Giroud is needed
The name that currently tops the wish list is that of Loïs Openda who scored 20 goals in 37 Ligue 1 games for RC Lens. The problem however is that many other clubs like him such as RB Leipzig and Atlético Madrid, while Openda himself might be willing to stay with Lens.
That’s why Milan is evaluating numerous back-up plans, such as Álvaro Morata. He has not yet signed a renewal of his contract expiring in June 2024 but that outcome is more probable than ten days ago.
Gianluca Scamacca could potentially arrive on loan from West Ham United after a difficult first season following his move from Sassuolo.
The paper adds that the most concrete moves by Milan have been for Marko Arnautovic, who can leave Bologna for €3-5m. If he arrived as a third striker then the department would look stronger, but if he came as the main reinforcement up front then it would get a very mixed reaction.
I’d really want Nicolas Richard of Villarreal or Scammaca. Scammaca is a typical Zlatan but reads the Offside better than Zlatan ❤️🖤
Let’s drop Morata from the list already. We don’t need another origi…
We absolutely do not need anymore old strikers!
A young mobile forward is long over due.
Do it once and do it right
elye Wahi, Boniface or Orban
Jonathan David, Noah Okafor or Marcus Thuram is perfect target men for Pioli system
They’re not perfect for the affordability though, each of those would be too expensive.
Scamacca on loan with an option would be my choice if priced out of Openda. Some years you have to accept it’s an inflated market and to find a short-term solution until a better door opens.
“Some years you have to accept it’s an inflated market and to find a short-term solution until a better door opens.”
This! Especially when there’s far bigger issue with the squad – like the RW. If we can’t get a world-class +20 goal-striker now I’d rather take a 10-15 goal veteran to play a couple of seasons until we can finally afford the “new super-pippo/shevchenko/insert_any_milan_legend_here”.
What we don’t need is wasting 75% of our transfer window money again on some deketelaere who cannot score a goal in 40 matches even if his life depended on it.
“If we can’t get a world-class +20 goal-striker now I’d rather take a 10-15 goal veteran to play a couple of seasons until we can finally afford the “new super-pippo/shevchenko/insert_any_milan_legend_here”.
That is the issue. We will NEVER be able to afford a “world class striker” and we will always have to settle for the “veteran to play a couple of seasons” because Ownership will not pay the $60-90M to get one. So we will always be left to chose between to young unproven players like an Openda or older players like Arnautovic. I also don’t see us spending big on a RW (although desperately needed) either, which is why we are being linked to players like Orsolini or an El Shawaary. Fine players but hardly world class. Only way we get a “world class” player is if we buy a young player with potential and DEVELOP them on our own (like Theo, Leao). Otherwise we are left with good players (Kamada, Orsolini, etc…) but never “world class”. That is the ambition of Redbird. I don’t believe they are interested in building a team to challenge for consistent CL success. Because with our youth policy and wage cap policy – by the time a young player develops (if ever) (such as a CDK, Adli, etc..) the established star players (Theo, Mike, Leao) will be sold or ask to leave for greater riches in other leagues that we cannot afford.
“We will NEVER be able to afford a “world class striker”
The budget issues have already been fixed and when the new stadium is ready the finances will improve significantly. Just like with Juve. Juve have been able to pay massive sums for Chiesa & Vlahovic so that IS possible in Italy as well.
I’m sure the transfer budget increases each year but if that doesn’t happen RedBird isn’t here to stay. They will increase the value of the club and sell if someone is interested.
So Thuram who is FREE is non affordable, while overpriced and mediocre Scammaca is??
I’d be delighted with Thuram, don’t get me wrong.
I just don’t think it’s possible because he’ll be looking for a big, long contract – he’s not ‘free’ at all. He’s very much ‘in vogue’ and some of the richest clubs in Europe will be in for him. Latest rumours suggest Atletico Madrid, which pay well in excess of Milan’s offers at the moment. I’d be surprised if he ends up on less than 7-8m gross per season.
Scamacca is off a very quiet season and has a fixed contract in place (~5-6m) – West Ham have had a poor year and are likely to it easy for him to leave. But only a year ago he had a huge ceiling, just some clubs aren’t the right fit – lots of strikers leave West Ham and instantly become better (eg Sebastien Haller).
The word ‘free’ just means higher wages and signing on costs – it can work out cheaper, but it doesn’t necessarily. And because of the higher wages, it can be more difficult to move them on.
You’re right though, if it was something like:
– 30m for Scamacca plus 5.5m salary
– Thuram on 7.5m salary (and let’s say 5m signing bonus)
Then Scamacca would be ~11.5m per year and Thuram would be ~8.5m per year. So I take your point, I just don’t see us being able to sign Thuram.
FYI, We just have to pass about 3 more years till Camarda joins our ranks. I have a feeling Camarda will become a club legend unless fame gets into his head.
Nikolas Jackson.
Scammaca, Colombo, Giroud and Arnutovic/Formino should be our forwards next season
I feel like we need an agreed set of definitions or a terms of reference.
Giroud’s 8 goals pre-Sampdoria hat trick padding doesn’t need ‘supporting’…it needs ‘replacing’.
If you want to replace inadequate scoring you sign Scamacca.
If you want to support adequate scoring you sign Openda or one of these other jokers that hasn’t scored 16 goals in the Serie A.
We’re the third most prolific team without the big striker. Do we actually need a striker?. Our goals come from across the entire front line incl wingers and mids. It’s how we play that’s driving this obsession on striker
Anar và Jackson.
The problem with this summer is.. There is no viable Striker nor RW available. The only plausible options for Striker are Openda, Wahi, Scamacca and Arnautovic. The first two are totally untested, Scamacca is a one season wonder, Arnautovic is aged but at least guarantees good performance, so my bet is on Arnautovic + Scamacca on loan. Thuram I won’t consider because he is coveted by EPL teams.
As for RW, I see no one better than Diaz at the moment specially if we can get a 15 mil deal done.
For LW, SES is a good option for backup but he is a shell of his old self. Roma is letting him go for a reason. i would rather prefer promoting Chaka Traore and giving him some gametime.
Kamada as CAM with CDK and Adli should suffice. And in the mid, RLC is alright. My preference would be Fofana but probably we won’t be able to win the war against EPL.
In defense, we will need a Kjaer replacement. and a deputy RB and LB. Actually I don’t see any viable deputies available in these positions that actually fit the profile we would be looking into, that is young, hungry and talented.
Lets hope mmm works some magic.