With just six games to go in the season and a top four spot to secure, the AC Milan management are busy planning for the future.
As Calciomercato.com recall, Massimiliano Allegri spoke at a press conference on the eve of the match and focused on three key themes: restoring harmony, earning a place in the 2026-27 Champions League and planning for the future.
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Understandably, it was this last topic that attracted the most questions from reporters, following a week filled with rumours regarding both the idea that Allegri and certain key players (Rafael Leao above all) could leave before next season.
The coach – fully consistent with the communication strategy he’s adopted since the start of the season – reiterated that his primary focus is on moving forward with the project he began last summer, without wanting to compromise on certainties. So, how might the squad change?
Goalkeepers
Mike Maignan recently renewed with a salary of €5m net per season plus €2m in bonuses, so he will certainly remain. Pietro Terracciano is also in the running for a contract extension for another season with Milan as the deputy.
Lorenzo Torriani could leave for more playing time, even if he’s offered a starting spot with Milan Futuro in Serie C (there is a strong possibility of promotion for the second team), while Matteo Pittarella will certainly stay.
Defence
Allegri has implicit trust in Matteo Gabbia and will make him a cornerstone of the defence for the future. Max is also pushing for the renewals of Strahinja Pavlovic and Fikayo Tomori, but neither is certain to remain at AC Milan because much will depend on the transfer market.
David Odogu will go on loan, while Pervis Estupinan has largely disappointed and the club want to recoup the €19m they gave Brighton last season. Davide Bartesaghi is a firm favourite and is certain to stay, while Koni De Winter has a good chance of staying too.
Midfield
Luka Modric is considering his future, and among the conditions for him to remain at Milan is that Allegri stays, with whom he has established an excellent relationship in every respect. Adrien Rabiot is strongly tied to the Livorno-born manager too an he will stay.
It is a different story for Youssouf Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who will be put on the market. Samuele Ricci is will definitely remain because he’s also useful for the squad list, while for Ardon Jashari things are up in the air after a tough year one.
Attack
The attacking department has suffered the most in this first season of Allegri’s second spell, and this trend is having repercussions ahead of the summer: none of the five forwards currently in the squad can be said to be certain of staying in Milan next season.
Despite the difficulties of recent months, Christian Pulisic remains the forward with the highest chance of staying, following by Santiago Gimenez. Niclas Fullkrug will not be bought out and will return to London, while Milan is open to listening to offers for Rafael Leao and Christopher Nkunku.
It’s sad if Torriani leaves permanently. Okw of the gre bright Italian talents we have, and he could easily be good enough for the first team.
We should loan him out, or sell him with a buy back clause like Real Madrid always does with their youth.
Even though I agree that we should somehow keep him or rettain a buyback clause he really needs to play because Toriani is actually 21 and will be 22 next January so a loan or a sale with a buyback clause will do him good as there is a very slim chance that he will play with the first team.
Alexis and Zachary? What about them?
They will both stay but I’d accept a good offer for Saelemakers and buy a proper starting RB/RWB and have Athekame develop alongside him, with enough game time. He looks raw but like he could be a really really good player in a couple of years.
I mean, the author didn’t mention them here at all. Either Alexis or Athekame could remain as a decent backup RWB but we need to buy two DC’s (Tomori being sold or not) even if we switch to 4-3-3, BOTH wing-backs, two MC’s (without selling Fofana but it would be pretty wise to get rid of RLC) at two SC’s.
Saelemakers isn’t really a good RB, RWB different story. Athekame looks like he could do both, just given a bit of time.
You can’t get rid of all the attackers, it is just stupid. I’m really curious to see how much will they get for Nkunku…
Maignan (Torriani, Terracciano)- KIM (De Vinter), GILA (Gabbia), Pavlovic (Tomori)- DODO (Saelemaekers, Athekame), GORECKA (Fofana, ???), Modric (Ricci), Rabiot (Ardon, Zeroli/Comotto), HERNANDEZ (Bartesaghi)- Pulisic (Nkunku), LEWANDOVSKI (???, Camarda);
Maignan (Torriani, Terracciano)- KIM (De Vinter), GILA (Gabbia), Pavlovic (Tomori)- DODO (Saelemaekers, Athekame), GORETZKA (Fofana, ???), Modric (Ricci), Rabiot (Ardon, Zeroli/Comotto), HERNANDEZ (Bartesaghi)- Pulisic (Nkunku), LEWANDOVSKI (???, Camarda);
Fofana shouldn’t be considered as a player who could leave. He is our most important midfielder alongside Rabiot. I would sell or loan Ricci because we don’t need him.
Ricci is a perfect example of why we don’t sign Italian players because they are not good enough.
Tomori, Nkunku, RLC, Estupinan, Gimenez and Leao should all be sold including the players we have out on loan currently.
Gila, a new LCB, a new RWB, a mezzala who can replace Rabiot and at 3 strikers and one attacking midfielder or 2nd striker should be signed in the summer.
Why a new LCB?
At least 8 of the 25 squad Mut be locally trained players. if a club has fewer, the maximum squad size is reduced. We need players like Ricci
Maignan (Torriani, Terracciano)- KIM (De Winter), GILA (Gabbia), Pavlovic (Tomori)- DODO (Saelemaekers, Athekame), GORETZKA (Fofana, ???), Modric (Ricci), Rabiot (Ardon, Zeroli/Comotto), HERNANDEZ (Bartesaghi)- Pulisic (Nkunku), LEWANDOVSKI (???, Camarda);
Maignan (Torriani, Terracciano)- KIM (De Vinter), GILA (Gabbia), Pavlovic (Tomori)- DODO (Saelemaekers, Athekame), GORETZKA (Fofana, ???), Modric (Ricci), Rabiot (Ardon, Zeroli/Comotto), HERNANDEZ (Bartesaghi)- Pulisic (Nkunku), LEWANDOWSKI (???, Camarda);
This is all assuming Bennacer and Musah won’t be a problem meaning they would find a new club…
There is Zero chance of Gimenez staying. Zero! Tare can’t wait to get rid of him. Ricci should go on loan. There is no way anyone in their right mind will fight for him to stay after the anonymous season he has had. He is Italian though, and Milan have very few in the squad.
The attack is the major problem. Milan is facing right now
Add
zaniolo
Chiesa
Lucca
Kean
That’s all sale leao and co
DO NOT sell central defenders !!! We can get additional 1 or 2 defenders if we so wish and maybe loan Odogu (without option or obligation to buy !), but that’s it.
Estupiñán has to leave, even for 2M€. I’m sorry but the dude is just so bad. Get another LWB and a good one please. Maybe an experienced one so he can teach Bartesaghi a thing or 2.
Keep our RWBs but get another one.
Modrić and Rabiot are the pillars of our midfield but try to give Jashari more time as a deep-lying playmaker next season, since he is supposed to be Modrić’s deputy. Keep Fofana because he is our third best midfielder and Ricci for European quota. RLC can leave and get us a good midfielder that link up well with the attack, heck maybe even Goretzka or Milinković-Savić if we have no choice.
All our attackers were bad this season, Füllkrug won’t stay anyways and we must get rid of Nkunku.
As surprising as it seems, we must keep Giménez as a deputy striker, but definetly get another striker (and please a ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ half-decent one).
It is possible that one of or maybe both Pulišić & Leão will leave this summer, and we will have to react accordingly.
Get a set piece coach, I’m sick and tired of us getting 200 corners and freekicks per game and all of them going nowhere.
Put Allegri in one of those hypnosis stuff or mental persuation or some sh!t to get to him to understand that is okay to play attacking football against bottom tier teams.
IM successful are based from atacker. They have lukaku – lautaro before and now marcus thuram – lautaro. Their striker are consistently scoring goal even bench player like pio & bonny. While ACM? The last ACM player that can score 15 goal or more are carlos bacca, after that ACM atacker was never reach 15 goal anymore, mean while lautaro keep scoring 15 goal +++ every season for IM . IM buy him only 24m euro ( lautaro). ACM need striker that have good finishing and can score more than 15 goal / season, Lewy salary too expensive , Kean have problem with injury, Dusan Vlahovic flop in juve this season but can be considered due to young age & free transfer also know serie A, another option buy PL unused striker like Rasmus, Mateta, Sesko