GdS: Pioli wants a smaller Milan squad with at least seven players to depart

By Euan Burns -

After an incredibly busy summer transfer window, the squad that Stefano Pioli has at his disposal is too big to justify, a report explains. 

As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport (as seen below), even having three tournaments to take part in does not justify the current size of the AC Milan squad.

There are at least seven players, possibly more, that must depart in order for Pioli to get the 23/24 player squad that he would like to work with for the 2023/24 season.

The players in question are Devis Vasquez, Fode Ballo-Toure, Yacine Adli, Charles De Ketelaere, Divock Origi, Marko Lazetic, Junior Messias and Mattia Caldara.

It seems that despite Samuel Chukwueze and Christian Pulisic arriving, as well as Luka Romero who may not go out on loan, Milan will still keep Alexis Saelemaekers.

Only one or two of those players would be replaced. Fode Ballo-Toure would need to be replaced by Rogerio or Riccardo Califiori as a backup to Theo Hernandez, whilst the club may look for another young striker for depth.

Tags AC Milan Stefano Pioli

31 Comments

  1. I think we need to consider a new RB too. Calabria is injured and Florenzi… well… to put it nicely has his best years behind him. Florenzi used to be a fast player… and now he’s completely finished.

    Maxime Esteve and Riccardo Calafiori are possibilities. And I do still think we should also make a go for Koopmeiners to shore up midfield. That’s three. If we hold off on signing a CF understandable, though Alejo Veliz would still be great.

    1. Heck, play Saelasmaekers as RB. I mean he would have to be better than Florenzi. To avoid signing anyone. He could convert into one like what Abate did for so many years.

      1. @Giancarlo agreed on basically every point.

        Yeah in theory we have 3 average RBs (actually in some instances Calabria is v good like against Kavaradona) and they don’t need to contribute much going offensively as likely Theo will do the bombing forward down the other flank. Hence why even if Singo might be an upgrade I’m not sure he’s needed.

        If we can get Esteve and Calafiori for reasonable fees, then offloading the deadwood could free up funds for say a young striker like Veliz. Overall it comes down to how well we manage to sell, which has been difficult for us in recent seasons. Hoping the 🇸🇦 money will tempt some of our unwanted players but the likes of Origi are proving to be quite stubborn!

        Forza Milan

        1. Calabria has his days where he’s either very good, average or simply out injured. He’s past his best unfortunately. I am not saying he’s bad. I think he should stay. But we really need a better RB to start over him.

      2. Same here, i hope pioli play him to add creativity. And if pioli still use 433 I think we are doomed, with no true regista it will be very difficult, we only have injured bennacer in that post.

        My thought is 343 –
        maignan;
        tomori-thiaw-kalulu;
        theo-krunic-reijnder/musah-alex ;
        leao-noah/giroud-chuk. Would be awesome in my opinion

        1. Where’s everyone getting this 4-3-3 from. If you’ve really watch the preseason games, it’s basically the same 4-2-3-1 from last season. Only difference is new players

    2. According to Romero, Wolfsburg already agreed with Sassuolo and now only wait the player. So if we really want him we need to be fast to hijack – but I can see Milan will wait until Ballo Toure is sold, or at least until there’s an agreement with other club before we sign any LB.

      Anyway Calafiori or Pellegrini? Still prefer Cambiaso but he is going to be expensive.

    1. noooo you can’t sell players you have to show loyalty and support to them at all times no matter what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      🙄🙄🙄

  2. If the current performance of RLC keeps going on till january, then he can sell or loan him.
    No wonder teams in EPL didn’t wanted him. Saw every game in the preseason so far and you can tell something is wrong when Lord Krunić played overall better

    Maybe Musah will be the real starter and will put RLC as a rotation player on the bench

    But ofc according to some experts ( read Giancarlo) he is the new Scholes

    1. @Trait0r

      I’ve wasn’t a big fan of the RLC signing but mainly because I thought it would take up a non-EU slot. After the ruling this isn’t the case anymore.

      Hes OK but nothing special. However we have a long season and it’s good to have depth midfielders. I don’t think he’s been promised a starting Jersey and for €16mn there’s a good chance even after an average season we could sell him back to EPL or 🇸🇦 for a profit.

      To my knowledge he was never a disruptive influence at Chelski so will likely accept being a rotation player without damaging squad harmony. Will come back in a year if I’m wrong but I don’t think he’ll be an Origi or Castillejo that an unwanted drain on the budget.

      1. Man.. those new AC Milan fans that appeared in the last 2 seasons are literally pushing CdK out after 1 season while Tonali’s and Theo’s 1st season was average and Hakan, Kessié , Leao needed 2 seasons to get good

        It’s somewhat more of a satirical comment because fake fans like Giancarlo are literally hyping RLC even when he is an injury prone, unwanted player in EPL while at the same time criticising CdK for even being on the bench xD

        1. I’m a fake fan? You literally gush about players of other teams. I didn’t hype up RLC. Look up my history. He is far from my favorite signing, as I much preferred others like Okafor and Chukwueze

          You are a fraud who loves Juventus because you’re nothing more than a dopey idiot.

      1. I must be then a fan of every football team since I have respect for every team xD
        Grow up 🙂

        Btw how is RLC doing? Performed almost every game worse than Rade xD
        Only thing missing so far is an injury and then he actually checked every expectation that I had from him.

        1. You are a Juve fan and your word carries zero weight over here. Rovella won’t ever play for Juve just like Pellegrini then leave on loan in the winter.

          Also I didn’t elevate RLC. Your stupidity is well noted.

          1. In fact prior to the FIGC overturning a certain non-EU rule, I was complaining about signing RLC and thought we could have used that option for someone else. Look it up, clown. Before you end up with egg on your face. And as far as RLC, I’d prefer other midfielders starting over him.

            Though these new signings just started playing together, so time is needed. Maybe we need to schedule more preseason games.

  3. 5 of the names are not even in the tour. Bringing Messias, Adli, and CdK to the tour shows that Pioli will welcome them if they stay.

  4. Loan lazetic to serie A club. Keep adili until bennacer recovered ( use him in 433 formation). The rest can go find other club. Basically we need sign LB that can compete with theo and alejo velis for giroud successor . New RB can wait next summer , no need to buy RB this summer mercato just use saladmaker or kalulu as RB option too if calab & florenzi injured

  5. Even pioli too needs to go he has nothing to offer and with the full 90 minutes I watched last night he’s below Milan standard as a coach. A great coach of Milan standard would have done things differently instead of same thing over and over again
    Beside the result ( am talking about game plan) it was all individual playing from same players apart from minimal touches
    On CDK how many times was he involved in this friendly matches and everyone judging him
    Pioli is not Milan standard and in as much as he wants fewer player he should get ready to go too
    We saw that with montella when he was given all the best players in the league in 2017

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