It’s no secret that AC Milan want to hire a Head of Football, but what is a bit more secretive is who they actually want.
In the summer, it was clear that Milan wanted Krösche and when the German didn’t arrive, they referred to internal hires as the solution. However, by the end of the summer, suggestions were present that they still wanted Krösche.
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Indeed, the idea of hiring a Head of Football remained a priority for Gerry Cardinale and this has only been proven in recent weeks. Several reports have stated the same idea – that the Rossoneri will make a hire before Christmas – and there are several names in the mix.
Tuttosport reported four names of interest for the club, so we thought it would be a perfect time to look through them, away from the October rush.
Markus Krösche
Krösche’s name needs very little introduction. The German was perhaps the most prominent figure of the summer and his arrival was a frustration for many, especially with him going on to renew with Frankfurt.
Most saw him as a near-perfect candidate and we looked into why the combination of him and Ruben Amorim could work well at the time. In other words, this will be the shortest section of the lot.
Nevertheless, he built a project to envy in Germany, with clear parameters. A selling club, Frankfurt regularly turned a profit in the mercato whilst improving the squad. Responsible for finding several high-value departures for nominal fees, Krösche is a genius in all the workings of the mercato.
José Boto
Boto is probably the most interesting name on the list. The 60-year-old Portuguese Technical Director has been with Flamengo since December 2024 and has overseen a few years of heavy spending and there has been a lot to show for that.
In just two and a half seasons, he’s spent €137 million – using stats from Transfermarkt – whilst only receiving €106m in inbound transfers.
However, Flamengo broke their drought from winning the Brazilian Serie A title, winning the league twice in a row in 2025 and 2026, regaining the league for the first time since 2020. So, it’s clear that his impact is already substantial.
He certainly seems like a different technical director if the project is to be more of a spend-to-win model. So, this would represent the main difference between him and Krösche. However, neither are apparently on the way, according to Carlo Pellegatti.
Devin Özek
Devin Özek was another potential hire in the summer, after he left Fenerbahce. However, he’d be most known for his work with Bayer Leverkusen and he offers another different view on things. He’d be a ‘club first’ man, according to reports and his story through the ranks is what interests.
He believes that the club should come first, rather than revolving a mercato for a manager’s system. So, it may not be the best fit for Ruben Amorim, who needs specific players in his squad.
Nevertheless, Leverkusen’s success with him at the club speaks for itself. The German club were fantastic in the mercato and they won the league unbeaten with a squad built largely by the 31-year-old.
One of the younger figures of this list, he’d maybe face a few questions about experience – compared to other names on the list – but there can be no denying that he’d be an interesting option.
Piero Ausilio
Finally, there is Ausilio, who has been thrown around as something of an unlikely candidate and there can certainly be questions about whether either party would make the move. After all, he was with Inter since 1998 and was their Sporting Director from 2010 onwards.
Little needs to be said about him; his work in Serie A with Inter speaks for itself and he’d be a figure like Igli Tare – someone who understood Italian football with weight and expertise in all areas.
It just seems pretty unlikely, though.
lets get krosche he seems like the best candidate. He knows how to sell for huge sums and we will need that if we are to get back to the top of european football. The meager amounts we generate every year is disgusting.. as seen by other big clubs selling for big sums is a very imp part of transfer windows
The most important thing in all these candidates should who is the strongest in building a winning team with a very small budget. The only one that stands out is Piero Ausilio.
Not only is he good at finding quality players. He’s also good at building a winning team and he’s an expert in Serie A with years of experience.
Maldini/ Paratici/ Ausilio,
all proofen in building winning squad,
M knew Milan more than anyone, what it’s needed & would die for Milan,
P good at getting young prospect,
A good at bargain & selling
take no one !call paolo maldini and zvonimir boban the legends and we will win again
If we had significant financial resources, Maldini and Boban could be options, however, the current priority is to select a director capable of selling high and buying low while still strengthening the team. Therefore, Krösche is the best choice right now.
Don’t forger it’s Redbird, so it won’t be Ausillio, because on paper he’s the best candidate and won’t be a yes man. It won’t be Krosche, the second best choice and rising profile. It won’t be Ozek, because then Amorim won’t get his toys. So it will be the random Brazilian, who has no experience in Europe. That if it’s even any one of these guys. Most probably it’s some rando from French Ligue 2.
The “random Brazilian, who has no experience in Europe” from Portugal, born in Europe, worked in Europe his whole career (Benfica mostly) until 2025 when he saw Brazil for the first time in his life. Also he is 2nd best choice after Ausilio. You didn’t even read the article you’re commenting on. 👍🏻
boto it is then. cardinale has a hard on for portuguese. amorim, mendes and boto. what a team. ffs
Ausilio, no doubt. The work he did with Inter was amazing. So do the right thing and get Ausilio ASAP!