Niclas Fullkrug, Santiago Gimenez and Christopher Nkunku have everything to play for at the end of the season, with all fighting for a spot.
As Tuttosport (via MilanPress) report, the final 10 games of the season are ones which will almost certainly decide the future at Milan for all three players, given that the management will almost certainly acquire a top-class striker this summer to partner Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic.
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Three become one
The three forwards’ situations, however, are all quite different. The newspaper starts with the German, who arrived in the January transfer window on loan with a €5m option to buy from West Ham United.
The buy-out fee is low, but it remains to be seen whether the directors want to spend money on another centre-forward. The player’s intentions also need to be understood, as he has played 12 times (often as a substitute) and has scored once.
Gimenez meanwhile is available again after more than four months out, and even before that, his position at Milan wasn’t exactly solid. In the coming games, fitness permitting, he’ll have a lot to prove if he wants to stay.
The Mexican will have to exploit every opportunity – unlike at the beginning of the campaign – to convince Massimiliano Allegri that he is a useful element for the attack. He can count on the possibility of a Champions League spot meaning more games and an enlarged squad.
The third and final case concerns Nkunku. Last summer Milan invested €37m plus bonuses to get him from Chelsea, and the Frenchman has had a season of ups and downs. After a good run early in 2026, he’s back down the pecking order, behind Leao and Pulisic.
Fenerbahce made contact in January, but nothing came of it, and now – like Fullkrug and Gimenez – he’ll have 10 games to prove his worth. With a striker coming there should be one or two departures in the department, leaving the trio fighting for potentially one place.
The picture changes next season where depth is concerned with UCL games. I would let Fullkrug leave and get a new no9. With potential injuries Nkunku and Gimenez can help with squad rotation and formation changes. Given Puli and Leao are taking almost all season to get back to 100% it will be risky to overload them with the attacking responsibilities all season. There is room for a decent striker atleast if Fullkrug goes back.
Everything depends on the management’s vision. To save funds:
1. Ship off Gimenez or sell Nkunku (Or return to Chelsea) – which ever applies. By top class striker and retain Fullkrug as cheap and “efficient” back up.
2. Return Fullkrug. Sell Gimenez. Keep Nkunku. Buy top class striker. Nkunku becomes super-sub. Can play across the front 3 roles.
Both theories are based on the assumption that Milan will utilize an attacking front 3 formation next season. Let Leao return wide left. Pulisic RW and the new No. 9.
Alexis can act rotate on RW.
I would say that whoever the #9 would be as long as its an actual striker (Füllkrug, Gimenez, Guirassy, X, Y, Z) he would succeed if Leao was the LW and Pulisic RW. Bombproof formula. Heck, even Camarda might turn out to be ready for the job with those two shining where they’re known to be lethal.
I am curious tho, IF they are all healthy, what would Allegri do? I mean most ppl agree that Puli and Rafa cant be on the bench. At the same time, a true CF will do great. I suspect Allegri will keep the 2 man system right now and figure out how to put Rafa, Puli AND a strong CB on the pitch at the same time.
There will be only one additional CF. Gimenez is staying for sure. They will need at least two CF’s for Serie A and the CL. If we let Gimenez go we will have to scrap the market for two CF’s which I honestly do not see happening considering how slowly we close deals.
Need to know what the formation will be. Otherwise it’s difficult to know who will be more suited for next season
Tare tried desperately to get rid of Gimenez right up to the final day of the summer window. And only his injury prevented a January exit. I doubt he has a future at Milan, unless he returns from injury a totally different player than what we saw in the 1st half of the season. which was horrible.