AC Milan are still hunting for a new attacking midfielder, and they seem to be somewhere in between a dream and an opportunity.
According to Tuttosport, Nicolò Zaniolo is pushing to join Milan, who in turn are hesitating and dreaming of Phil Foden. The Rossoneri have started the transfer market strongly with Gonçalo Ramos and Mario Gila, who cost a combined €100m, but now they want the right playmaker.
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Ruben Amorim is evaluating the players at Milanello and will make his first decisions – who to keep and who to sell – in a week, after the first friendly in Glasgow on July 25th against Celtic. Some players, such as Pervis Estupinan – who is in negotiations with Aston Villa – could leave sooner.
The manager has already asked the club for a left-footed attacking midfielder to place on the centre-right of his 3-4-2-1 formation. On the left, he has plenty of options with Christian Pulisic and Christopher Nkunku, but Samuel Chukwueze is the only left-footer.
Amorim is also testing the Nigerian as a right wing-back, where he likes to deploy attacking players on the opposite foot (like Amad Diallo at Manchester United). Gerry Cardinale would like to give the manager another big signing and it’s no mystery that Foden is among the players circled in red.
Leao to unloc Foden?
Foden is not a key pillar of Enzo Maresca’s new era at Manchester City and could leave for an offer between €50-60m, coincidentally the figure that Milan expects to collect from the possible sale of Leao.
It would be the perfect exchange, also considering that the Englishman gets €7.5m net per season at City, and with the Rossoneri he could earn €7m which is what Leao gets. At the moment there are no negotiations underway, at least not openly, but the relationship between the two clubs is good.
There have been no official talks with Udinese regarding Nicolò Zaniolo either, because Milan do not consider the 27-year-old to be their first choice, despite the player having offered himself through his agent.
He’s not an option to be completely ruled out, but he’s not their first target for the role described above. Also, the Diavolo don’t want to get involved in the ongoing dispute between the player and Udinese, with the Pozzo family ‘furious’ that he is skipping training due to a salary dispute.
If he is shown the door, at that point Milan could step in. However, that time isn’t now, and instead they want to try for Phil Foden. An interesting note: the Stockport-born forward has Rafaela Pimenta as an agent, Mino Raiola’s former partner who Zlatan Ibrahimovic knows very well.
Foden Agent Denied that.
Zaniolo Udinese denied also Milan asking for Zaniolo same with Atta who joined Fiorentina.
Sell Pulisic too. He’s not renewing his contract and that is a blessing for Milan because he’s only getting worse. Inconsistent, and injury prone. So there’s no point in renewing him on a higher salary.
Just sell Pulisic, Leao, RLC, Fofana, Musah, Estupinan, Tomori, Ricci, Jashari and Gimenez.
In: Foden, Alejbegovic, Inacio, Guerra, Ederson, Dayan Methalie from Toulouse, Wilfred Singo who can play RWB or RCB, Icardi or Tatty Castellanos.
Foden like I said his agent denied any talks with Milan
Ederson is getting renewed with Atalanta
I don’t agree with Taty and Icardi.
The rest I do agree that can be good deals.
But for Alajbegovic is getting close to miss out since Atalanta is close
Singo could be a saga bc galata wants kinda high evaluation.
But Overall I agree with anyone but Taty and Icardi
Pulisic isn’t going anywhere before January, so you had better get used to him. If he starts the season in good form, then yeah… he may want to leave. Now however, he has no option other than the MLS and he’s a good five years away from even having to consider that. My gut tells me he stays in Milan and is their captain before he turns 30. Not sure he’d like to go back to the Premiere League, but La Liga might interest him. He’s been in all the other top leagues. Why not give them a go.
If these rumors are true, Zaniolo would be my pick.
Foden is talented but he is used to playing in a well-oiled machine at Man City, surrounded by amazing players. There is a clear difference between his performances for Man City and England where his teammates aren’t as good. Even his last two seasons at Man City, when they didn’t win the league, have been poor by his standards.
Zaniolo is a better fit. He has Serie A experience, doesn’t need superstars around him to perform, and will cost half of what Foden would, and will be motivated to re-join the new Italy squad. The only worrying issue with Zaniolo is his injury history.
Correct, fully agree with you on this one, Foden is a system player, hell he’s been moulded by Pep’s system, that’s why he performs poorly outside of it. I’d definitely have Zaniolo over him every day of the week.
🤣
If Zaniolo is actually skipping training, that should rule him out, you don’t want that in your club.
The Foden thing is just silly. It’s not happening. Milan being linked with random Premier League players is getting boring now.
From what I now of Zaniolo I think he is caooable of ruinning the dressing room.
*capable
*know, ruining
Yeah, we got it bud.
I am not your bud.
I can’t understand why Italian fans always rate Zaniolo. He’s a terrible player with a bad attitude. He ‘s too slow and has never had a season where you would say this guy is one of the best and his numbers prove this. A lot of people blame management for the downward spiral of Milan and Serie A teams as a whole. However, whilst other leagues get faster and more athletic, Serie A fans ask for older and slower players then Italy national team can’t keep up pace with other teams and don’t qualify for 3 world cups.
The right RIGHT and the RIGHT right playmaker.
Alajbegovic, Karetsas, Zaniolo, Foden, *Trincao, *Liberali, **Diaz, ***Kang-in Lee, (Chukwueze)- BUY 1, DON’T JUST MISS THEM ALL, COME ON!
Trincao Joined Al Ahli
Fodens agent denied talks with Milan
Alajbegovic is Close to Atalanta
Dias is expensive
Kang In Lee is joining Atleti
Liberali Joined Como
Zaniolo excluded when Milan Talked with Udinese Management.
I don’t believe you don’t know other players that the ones random articles mentioned once
You can’t even dream of making the comparison with me in terms of football knowledge and you have just shown that once again in the/that other comment section under the article before/prior
to this one. Even if you’re much younger than me which you in all probability are, that doesn’t justify your ignorance and superficiality, just a miserable glory hunter, that’s what you are.
Sign Schjelderup
“He’s not an option to be completely ruled out, but he’s not their first target for the role described above. Also, the Diavolo don’t want to get involved in the ongoing dispute between the player and Udinese, with the Pozzo family ‘furious’ that he is skipping training due to a salary dispute.”
Udinese will wait 3 more days, you should add that.
this sub is so a*tistic most of the time, always limit my lists to 4-6 players; they say Fifa manager….
people here are posting entire new squads and silence…
It’s a little funny to see the constant signs like “Leao out”! For now, the only thing we can do is send him home to go fishing with his friends!
The Foden thing’s probably bs but I can well imagine Zaniolo’s pushing to join us – desperately trying to fail upwards… And I hope this Chukwueze wingback idea isn’t real – sounds like prime Amorim craziness..
To je isto radio i piksi sa zivkovicem u reprezentaciji.
Very unlikely but if it were to eventuate then Foden at Milan would be fantastic. His a terrific player and well worth worth the investment. Most of which can be financed via leao sale.
Italian please
Foden, yes, Zaniolo??? Definitely not!!! This guy is no way better than anyone we already have…Hope this is just silly season talk.