A crucial summer transfer window is coming up for AC Milan, and some ideas have begun to emerge regarding how the squad can be strengthened.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes that Stefano Pioli will have more say in the players that arrive and depart, working in conjunction with chief scout Geoffrey Moncada and waiting for the final word of CEO Giorgio Furlani.
It will be a sharing of ideas and every decision will be made collectively, with Pioli having more freedom to identify the roles that need strengthening and to highlight the targets he thinks will do best.
Midfield
The first step will be to indicate the areas of the pitch that need reinforcements. The defence is well covered given Malick Thiaw’s emergence, so the work will start from midfield especially after Ismael Bennacer’s injury.
The Algerian will only return in November and then in January he could then participate in the African Cup of Nations, meaning he could be missing for a large chunk of the 2023-24 campaign.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek was a target that Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara wanted, but given Pioli’s approval he is a name could come back into fashion in the next few days. However, Chelsea need to decide to grant the discount on the €25m asking price.
Playmaker
It is clear that after Brahim Diaz’s departure the team needs a new creative fore between the lines, and Daichi Kamada – already approved by the coach – is not necessarily enough.
The Japan international will arrive as soon as the agents untie some bureaucratic knots but there is also the possibility of another No.10 arriving.
For this reason, the profile of Tommaso Baldanzi is particularly appreciated because he talented and already knows Serie A we,, making him the perfect identikit of the Rossoneri’s project.
He could certainly enhance his potential with Milan – who are his boyhood club – given that he is just 20 years of age and scored four goals in Serie A last season, two less than Brahim Diaz.
Right wing
Moving out to the right flank, Pioli will ask for some improvements to be made. It is the same area he moved Brahim Diaz to because he was dissatisfied with the performance of Junior Messias and Alexis Saelemaekers.
The road leads back to London where Christian Pulisic is a target. The 24-year-old has had an eight-year career equally divided between Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea, with 127 appearances and 19 goals in Germany, then 145 games and 26 goals in England.
He has a Croatian citizenship and an American passport, so he could be useful both for the quality that he brings but also the fact that he would provide a boost to the Milan brand in the United States.
Centre-forward
Marcus Thuram is a target for the striker role. He scored 16 goals in 32 games last season for Borussia Mönchengladbach, one every two games, and he will leave the Bundesliga when his contract expires but there is competition from PSG.
The alternative lead leads to Ismaila Sarr, the 25-year-old Watford star who can play either as a winger or centre-forward. He has a value of €20m+, but that is discounted thanks to the fact he has a contract expiring next summer.
They claim RLC is approved by Pioli. 🤔
which he can deny should the player flop too.
Acmilan need to add Rafael leao deputy in case should Rafael is to rest then Theo Hernandez deputy or are considering Kalulu to play the left back
I thought Leao deputy next season, if Rebic leaves, was going to be Daniele Maldini – but how will that work out now?
Is pioli gonna pay for them out of his own pocket? Shitbird doesnt wanna spend. Unless they sell one of our core players that full list of players will not join.
Pioli, who doesn’t even know the strengths of the players he has on his OWN Squad.. will transform the team? Lol What he couldn’t do in his whole career is now gonna do it in what.. 3 months? LOL uh-huh.. Suuuure! LMFAO
I really hope he does that for the sake of Milan.
Right…. Not like he won you the Scudetto last season or anything…. SMH…
LOL pioli will transform Milan by buying mediocre players like messias,whom he really likes LOL..pioli wants SMS,but with only 35 M euros for the budget maybe our genius POLI will come and put his own money to buy SMS LOL
Sounds like you and Milan4lyf up above grew up in the same village…
Haha – I know. The drivel you see on here is quite astonishing.
You guys have no idea. Maldini was the one who pushed for Messias & Fiorenzi. Milan has a 75m EUR budget ear-marked for this Summer (up from 50m last year, of which 35m was wasted on CDK). The future for Milan is brighter than the past given that there is collaboration on the transfer market w/ reference to Milan’s impressive internal data analytics which Gazidis brought across with him from Arsenal, instead of Maldini having autonomy and relying on his gut feel for players. Very positive here.
@james,have you been living in a cave? our budget for next season is a tiny 35 M euros LOL! oh so you dont say that maignan,theo,bennacer,leao,tonali,kalulu,thiaw werent maldini’s buying? LOL! Klopp failed big time with naby keita,should liverpool fired him? also MU failed big time with maguire,sancho,pred,AWB,overprice lisandro and thay ballet dancer antony,should they fired ETH?
Is that you Gerry? Lol
“The defence is well covered given Malick Thiaw’s emergence”
LOL, nope! Theo needs a backup. Frodo Ballo-Tourette isn’t the answer. Sell him and get someone useful. Even promote a primavera player instead but FBT just isn’t good enough. Not by a long shot.
@ivanpippo, I think you have been living in a cave.
Why does Maldini get credit for Maignan, theo, bennacer, leao, tonali, kalulu? I am pretty sure that it was a collective decision between him, MAssara, Boban and Gazidis.
You can thank Maldini for the players bought, loaned last year as he had sole control, or autonomy. Sh$t sporting director.
he was a legend of a player but his ego unfortunately was bigger than his legend, he thought he WAS Milan. Lol. He even refused to stay on in a different role to help Milan continue on this path.
this season that finished was all based on luck, getting to UCL semis due to an incredibly lucky draw and making next years based on Juve points penalty. He stuffed up and had to go.
we must keep looking forward and support the team and the club, not waste energy thinking and speaking about Maldini
100% Agree with you. Maldini’s sacking was handled wrong, but we support the colors, the team and the badge. We move on without Maldini and wish him the absolute best.
Agreed but something tells me that there’s a lot more howling at the sky to come from these Maldini guys yet.
“Why does Maldini get credit for Maignan, theo, bennacer, leao, tonali, kalulu? I am pretty sure that it was a collective decision between him, MAssara, Boban and Gazidis.”
But apparently Maldini did not listen to Moncada etc. and was a tyrant.
How comical to cherry pick the flops as all Maldini’s “flops” – but the stars (Mike, Theo, Tonali, Leao etc…) as the “collective” LOL. How convenient. You may want to read what those players said when they signed as Maldini being the driving force to convince those players on the project. But ya, I guess it doesn’t count LOL. Well let’s see he signed a starting calibre CB (Thiaw) for 6M? That alone is a successful summer transfer window given our pathetic budget.
And again – you cannot have a YOUTH POLICY and WAGE CAP policy and mandate management sign those players then complain when they don’t develop immediately. By that logic we should have sold Theo, Leao and Tonali after their first seasons with us – but nah, you seem to conveniently forget that. So who knows YET if the transfer window was successful as CDK, Adli, Aster need TIME to develop. That is normal and expected. But it’s all Maldini’s fault. As for the other flops do to speak. How much did we spend on them exactly on transfer fees? LOL. Minimal to say the least if not LOANS so no long term debt.
“we must keep looking forward and support the team and the club, not waste energy thinking and speaking about Maldini” – so why is it then that Maldini has started silent and it is Redbird that keeps on talking to the media trying to justify his sacking by bashing his character portraying him as a power monger who was unwilling to collaborate?? Get your facts straight friend. That lacks the CLASS of the Milan I have always supported had. And that should be SAD to all us fans.
Keep drinking the Kolo aid mate
He is F snak
If was not Maldini Pioli never will be around
They made do big mistake
Maldini is Maldini
I will not see that Milan any more after 30 years
Or Shame Shame you MF
Then why are you here on a Milan page posting? If you stop watching Milan after a managerial change, then you have been a PLASTIC fan for 30 years. Now you are cured. Congrats!