AC Milan have settled on their ‘new’ management, but one external figure could have a big hand in the future: Jorge Mendes.
Corriere dello Sport (via TMW) report that Milan have finally decided which path to take to fully kick-start its new era, including at the management level. Gerry Cardinale has opted for an internal reorganisation after various options fell through.
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Now the summer transfer window is upon us, with the squad needing to be strengthened for new coach Ruben Amorim. In this sense, it’s also important to be aware of the external influence a high profile agent like Jorge Mendes could have.
According to the paper, the powerful Portuguese agent has already worked with Milan in recent seasons. Even if the new head coach of the Rossoneri Ruben Amorim isn’t one of his clients, this doesn’t matter so much.
This aspect could also have an impact on the transfer market, too. Two concrete examples cited by the source are Gonçalo Ramos (PSG) and Morten Hjulmand (Sporting CP), Milan targets who are valued at a combined total of €60m.
Milan’s new structure
Who will Mendes be speaking to? At the top of the pyramid will be a trident composed of Cardinale, the head coach Amorim and the CEO Massimo Calvelli.
Beneath them will be a sporting unit headed by Hendrik Almstadt as Director of Player Trading (a sort of Sporting Director), supported by Bobby Gardiner as Director of Football Intelligence (who will be responsible for identifying players) and Donato Lomonte, Director of Scouting.
As for the youth teams, Jovan Kirovski will remain Head of Milan Futuro, while Vincenzo Vergine will be Head of Youth Development.
Only 60 million combined? I seriously doubt that.
It could be agreed maybe with bonuses.
But Ramos maybe could be taken on loan with buy obligation which is basically the same because of loan fee.
Hjulmand alone costs at least 35-40 million euros, how on Earth do you imagine we could get them both for 60 million euros? There is no way we are going to succeed. I wish they prove me wrong, of course but just don’t see that happening for us…
Maignan- ANTONIO SILVA, Gabbia, Pavlovic- Saelemaekers, HJULMAND, Rabiot, LWB (?)-
KANG-IN LEE, Pulisic- RAMOS;
Terracciano- De Winter, Odogu, Tomori-
Athekame, Ricci, Ardon, Bartesaghi-
Chukwueze/ZANIOLO, Nkunku- ICARDI;
Torriani, Bondo, Comotto or Zeroli,
AMC 3-4-2-1 or LW 3-4-3, Camarda;
Maignan- ANTONIO SILVA, Gabbia, Pavlovic-
Saelemaekers, HJULMAND, Rabiot, LWB (?)-
KANG-IN LEE, Pulisic- RAMOS;
Terracciano- De Winter, Odogu, Tomori-
Athekame, Ricci, Ardon, Bartesaghi-
Chukwueze/ZANIOLO, Nkunku- ICARDI;
Torriani, Bondo, Comotto or Zeroli,
AMC 3-4-2-1 or LW 3-4-3, Camarda;
Somewhat realistic would be to sell Tomori, Bondo, R-L-C, Leao, Fofana and Athekame and bring in Antonio Silva, Hjulmand, Ramos and Trincao.
Then bring home Camarda and Comotto and not send them out on loan again, plus promote Sala to the first team as home grown player instead of Fofana?
That would put us on 25 players and 8 homegrown which fulfills UEFAs squad rules for Europa league. Unless i forget something/someone?
1. Maignan
2. Terracciano (home grown)
3. Torriani (home grown)
4. Pavlovic
5. Gabbia (home grown)
6. Silva
7. De Winter
8. Odogu
9. Bartesaghi (home grown)
10. Estupinian
11. Saelemaekers
12. Musah
13. Rabiot
14. Hjulmand
15. Jashari
16. Ricci (home grown)
17. Sala (home grown)
18. Comotto (home grown)
19. Pulisic
20. Trincao
21. Nkunku
22. Chukwueze
23. Ramos
24. Gimenez
25. Camarda (home grown)
Another possibility would be to sell Musah and Chukwueze to bring in someone like maybe Bellanova (home grown) and a left footed attacking midfielder like Elliot from Liverpool.
Then keep Fofana and let Sala continue to develop in the futuro. But I doubt they can find buyers for Musah and Chuckwueze, so they will probably stay…
You make more sense than our management
Trincao is a left footed ATM but I see your point,
two similar players. Why would we sell Zachary? Bellanova or someone else but we would need
that replacement regardless of Musah staying
or leaving despite the fact he can cover a right flank…
*two similar players in each position
Yeah mainly two similar players in each position plus extra coverage in more important areas, like 3 goalkeepers and 7-8 central midfielders (of which one or two could also play in the attacking midfield role if needed).
Also based on the rumours out there right now, plus which players I think Amorim like/wants, and what players I think would be easier to sell (and which we wouldnt be able to sell).
In a dream world more players would be replaced, but trying to stay a little realistic to what we can expect the first summer.
I like your way of thinking.
Thanks for you opinion. If the management will see this. I think that we all should continue to post it at all our fansbase for them to look at this. Let keep this post going.
Haha thanks but its just a wishful dream. But thats why we come here isnt it, to dream 🙂
This structure is a joke and any reference to Liverpool model is an insult to Liverpool.
Lets call it what it is – Gerry needing to pivot and literally throw some random people together to make a “functional” or “revolutionary” management model, when really this is just an act of desperation because none of the primary targets wanted to have anything to do with Gerry’s vision or what Milan has become at this point…
Epic.
Like others have suggested in other posts I think its a temporal solution, which might get Amorim more say/power in signings the first summer, which could actually be good.
Next summer I think we will see two top directors arrive (SD and TD) and Almstadt leave plus Cardinale step back.
To me it is clear Milan will have a hard time not struggling to start the year…new manager, new system, a bunch of new players, many players coming back from the world cup with tired legs…etc. So I question this…when the curva sud starts protesting, like they always do, will Milan stay the course. If Cardinale pivots when the supporters get angry again it tells me all I need to know. Milan are being run by the whim of the fans. Fonseca must go!…..Fonseca gets sacked. Conceicao must go!….Conceicao gets sacked. We need a more Italian identity! Italians get hired. Everyone must go!….everyone gets fired. Over the last 20 years there have been 16 different managers (counting Allegri twice) and only one year in 20 have we had a win percentage over 60%. By comparison Simone Inzaghi averaged 66% wins over the course of his career. Please Milan find some consistency, and do not pivot the second the fans are upset.
At this point if Milan can just find hard working players who give a f*ck, it will be an improvement.
Word. Give Amorim the players he asks for (within reason/budget) and give him at least 2 years to build something.
gdog, you hit the nail on the head.