The takeover of AC Milan has finally happened after weeks of speculation and rumours, with information beginning to emerge about how the future of the club will look.
As reported this morning by La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews), the founder of RedBird – Gerry Cardinale – met the top management of Milan as well as head coach Stefano Pioli on Tuesday, before seeing them again yesterday during his visit to Casa Milan.
Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara will have their renewed in the next few days and CEO Ivan Gazidis will also remain in the new corporate structure because Cardinale believes that continuity is key.
That means the current directors will be able to continue their work and one of the main priorities is to renew Rafael Leao. His contract expires in 2024 and there is a release clause of €150m in it, but he needs a big pay rise so the €4.5m net per season offered a few months ago may not be enough.
Then it will be necessary to strengthen the team and there are names like Nicolò Zaniolo of Roma plus Club Brugge duo Charles De Ketelaere and Noa Lang for the attack. Gleison Bremer of Torino and Renato Sanches of Lille are targets respectively for the defence and midfield.
Finally, it will be necessary to resolve the situation linked to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede will meet shortly with Maldini and Massara and his future will be evaluated, also on the basis of how his initial recovery from his knee operation goes.
What happened to Botman?
If we compare Botman and Bremer individually most of us will probably choose Bremer. Proven serie a defender, big, physical with above average pace.
Botman coming from lesser league, tall, strong and somewhat slow.
But it comes down more to the fit with Milans style.
Milan play with 4 in the back, Bremer is used to playing with 3 and he said he’d like to continue playing in 3 man defense. Botman play with 4 at the back
With Romagnoli gone Milan has no left footed CB, Bremer is R-footed, Botman L-footed.
Bremer is reportedly slightly more expensive but Botman looks very much like a younger, Holland version of Romagnoli.
If Bremer can adapt to back 4 sign him, if not just renew Romagnoli
Well said
Am with you bro
I prefer romagnoli, 4 or 3 man defence no problem for him. He wants to stay. Any team will consider very lucky to have him free
Chunga Lunga, right on point. We do need a left footed CB though (and it will help Tomori) and if Maldini likes Botman, then I trust Maldini. We shall see how it plays out…