Yacine Adli and especially Luka Jovic have struggled to perform on a Milan-worthy level at the start of this season. Therefore, with the January window coming up, both may have squandered their chances already.
As highlighted by our colleagues at SempreMilan.it, not many knew what to expect of the duo as we headed into the season. The outcome, most would agree, has been underwhelming and the coming weeks will be decisive.
Jovic has never taken off
The striker was the last arrival of the summer and he has certainly looked the part. He arrived on a free transfer from Fiorentina and Milan have the option to extend his contract. However, the Serbian hasn’t exactly impressed when given the chance.
To make matters worse, the physical and athletic condition has never truly been convincing and the lack of confidence is evident. Not only has he failed to score a goal for the Rossoneri, but he has also failed to hit the target with a shot.
A disastrous contribution, which has forced Pioli to overwork the 37-year-old Olivier Giroud. But the Frenchman needs rest, as demonstrated by the goal drought that lasted about a month from September to the end of October.
It feels like Jovic’s future at Milan has been decided already. Having said that, Pioli will try to give the former Frankfurt and Real Madrid man a few more chances before the final deadline in January, given that the Rossoneri are expected to sign a striker then.
Chance squandered by Adli?
Adli, then 21 years old, arrived from Bordeaux for around €8m. He remained at the French side on loan for one season and fully joined the Rossoneri in the summer of 2022. His arrival came with some expectations as the fans were eager to see his obvious talent in action.
After one season with minimal playing time, he agreed to switch position to defensive midfielder ahead of the current campaign. And this switch seemed encouraging after five league appearances, plus in the Champions League, but now the situation has changed again.
Pioli seemingly doesn’t trust the Frenchman enough, seeing as he hasn’t even played a minute in the last two games. Instead, the manager has used Tijjani Reijnders and Yunus Musah in a midfield tandem, while also relying on Rade Krunic for some games. Not to mention that Ismael Bennacer will soon be back, which means Adli’s space could run out completely.
The future of the duo
So, what does the future hold? The consensus appears to be that both need to do better. That doesn’t mean that it’s over, because Pioli will give them new chances in the coming weeks. Especially considering the ongoing injury crisis that is affecting the team heavily.
Considering that Olivier Giroud will miss the next two games due to suspension as well, Jovic is bound to get a few more chances. But as is the case with Adli, there won’t be a plethora of these chances and now is the time to convince Pioli, as well as the fans.
