AC Milan are once again regaining the ability to attract the best players in the world, but their project puts them in a position where they have some tough decisions to make.
As our colleagues at SempreMilan.it report, Milan have recovered prestige and consideration both on an Italian and international level thanks to the work of Stefano Pioli and his squad, who have revitalised the image of the club after years of disappointment.
The team has been at the top of the standings for large parts of the last couple of seasons and now have the concrete possibility of winning the Scudetto and even the Coppa Italia. Furthermore, a return to the Champions League means that the Rossoneri are back on the most important European stage.
Paolo Maldini doesn’t have much trouble convincing players to join the club, but Elliott Management need to open their wallet and make concessions in order to guarantee inviting salaries to top players.
A complicated dilemma
Paulo Dybala is one of the names that has been linked with Milan and he would find the No.10 shirt, a starting role and the freedom to orchestrate attacks. The Argentine would be keen on joining the Rossoneri, but the club would not give him €7m net which are his demands.
CEO Ivan Gazidis continues to reject the idea of signing big earns and paying high commissions, and he sets limits on a financial level. Another talent who would gladly fly from Real Madrid to Milan to try a new experience is Marco Asensio, yet also in this instance it seems the club will not satisfy his current demands.
Of course, it begs the question of whether there will be a ‘next step’ in the project in order to both sign and renew star players by giving them what they could earn on the market. Otherwise, Milan will continue shopping on a different floor to other top clubs.
This is where we see the true extent of where Elliot and Gazidis intent to take this club. If they truly want to regain our status amongst the elite clubs again the time is now to increase the budget. Yes that means the rest of our top players will soon be asking for more, but the other options to this are to either stay where we’re at and be competitive in serie a but never in CL, sell the club, or increase the budget. This mercato will tell us a lot of their intentions.
It is a medium term strategy. UEFA is imposing some sort of progressive salary cap. So within a couple of years Milan salaries will be attractive for top players also
Or they will simply be in compliance with the new rule, while most others will get fucked. Also, let’s not be so quick to shit on Elliott and Gazidis, as they did pay 7m for Ibrahimovic, and he looks slower every time he comes back from one of use seasonal 3 month injuries. So what stops Milan from taking that 7m and giving it to Dybala? The club doesn’t need a squad full of overpaid players. Just one champion on a maxi salary to “quarterback” the side, surrounded by upcoming talent, and a savvy coach.
Atalanta are competitive in the European competitions with a smaller budget than ours.
We are on the right path. We need to be smart with our goals and slowly build to being the side we were. The little bit of success we have at the moment has been achieved by being smart. Why would anyone question the methods of the club at the moment??
Slow and steady wins the race
Its obvious what they really want since the start they took over Milan from Li, people need to wake up that we’re not in the Berlusconi era anymore, Milan losing so much prestige and revenues in the past 10 years due to not winning scudetto and qualified for the UCL, and we’re in the right direction now, free of debts and not having a monstrous wage bill like Inter or Juve, until the new ambitious owner like Abramovich took over Milan from Eliiot then we should be happy that we’re in this position now rather than in the past 10 years!!
Ac Milan is a club even astute players have cut their salary demands to join. It goes hand in hand, if Dybala wants to be part he must commit himself to the project first before the project rewards him. Signing and paying high salaries isn’t a guarantee of success, rather the Harmonious willingness and commitment from the player and management can provide success for both parties. Dybala must prove to us the AC Milan he deserves what he demands simple.
Im agree with gazidiz about dybala. Juve refuse to extend him because his injury record over past 2 season. It is better go for another young gem like Charles ketelare