AC Milan did use a ‘Moneyball’ strategy during the summer window but not in the sense of fishing for players who are unknowns, a report claims.
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Through an in-depth analysis for the Corriere dello Sport (via Radio Rossonera), Alessandro Giudice carefully studied AC Milan ‘s summer transfer market by addressing the notion that there was a heavy cost-based analysis involvement.
He writes that the Moneyball strategy is ‘not equivalent (as some thought) to fishing for unknown players, just because they were selected by a computer algorithm’ and instead what it refers to in Milan’s case is ‘maximising the expected performance for every euro invested’.
The Rossoneri management through their team of data analysts and scouts are able to use ‘statistical methods’ and sort through players with an added variable (the economic one) to the algorithm, so as to ‘maximise the return for shareholders’.
Of course, it goes without saying as well that the ‘economic return depends on the club’s ability to win’ and increase its standing on the competitive scene.
Giudice adds that Milan ‘have focused above all on players with one year remaining before their contract with their respective clubs expires’ which is ‘a circumstance which has certainly improved the negotiating position’ for Milan.
