In recent days, AC Milan have been linked with an increasing number of wing-backs and now, an old name is re-emerging.
The mercato is entering the stage where business needs to happen, but Gerry Cardinale will not facilitate deals for the sake of spending money. Instead, everything must be done with a reason. So, with Zachary Athekame expected to depart on loan, a new wing-back would be needed.
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After all, there is already a shortage of options, so getting rid of your primary back-up – as well as Fikayo Tomori, who could play on the right of a back four – leaves you looking pretty slim.
An old name reappears
According to Quotidiano Sportivo, the Englishman may actually be the first choice, as MilanNews relays.
Whilst Zakaria El Ouahdi has been more heavily linked, the Rossoneri are also keeping tabs on Norton-Cuffy’s situation, with the Moroccan named as ‘an alternative to the Genoa player’. Reports in July – as relayed by Football Italia – stated that €20 million could be enough to land the wing-back, so it’d certainly be feasible.
However, such an investment would lead to questions about other areas of the squad. For example, where Alexis Saelemaekers would feature going forward and also about the future of Athekame, who is heading on loan.
Zakaria is better than him
I would rather go for El Ouahdi who seems way better investment.
And could overtake Salamaekers so Milan would eventually sell him and then keep Athekame
Get them both, then Inacio and we are good
For Center Back we need to sell and for Sign Both we need to sell estupinian or Salamaekers.
Me personally we need someone like Murillo or Lukeba in the center of the trio. Inacio can’t have a spot in the lineup.
Center can also be Someone Like Wilfried Singo or Tiago Gabriel.
For LCB we have Pavlo and Diawara we don’t need another one. So we need fast + passer+ tackling or
Passer+ tackling+ control the ball.
Can we take/get someone on a loan for a change?
Are we forbidden from signing (good) free agents?
The top free agents are probably looking for a massive payday, but which ones out there would you consider an upgrade on what we have?
Vlasovic is pointless now we have Ramos and chasing big money, I expect Jadon Sancho is probably looking for a large salary too and doesn’t fit. Kessie and Goretzka both play in a position where we have way too many already and there are very few defenders out there. Malacia was a big prospect before his injuries but hardly a gamble worth taking.
Diogo Leite is the only one that really looks like they might fit our needs and is he really going to make a massive difference?
I agree with you on loans, I’d be perfectly open to those. But those opportunities usually present themselves later in the window when clubs have given up trying to sell the players. Maybe Nwareri could be an option there?
Are you for real now? Even though I think you’re OK, you have ignored me there today, why would I answer to your questions and reply your comments? Eliminate all those with unrealistic requests and you’ll still have more than a decent group (“pool”) of free agents to choose from. It’s Vlahovic, not Vlasovic.
DV is signing for besiktas, I forgot to add this the second time I wrote this reply.
P.S. We have been ignoring the free agents for years now, it’s not like that is something that is happening and going on just this summer, there are many players that we could have brought over the years…
Haven’t you noticed that our management is loathe to pay agent commissions? Free agents’ agents tend to have sky high requests. Money to a player agent is tantamount to throwing it in a fire. Also, most good players in their prime, who don’t have baggage (so not Vlahovic for example), never become free agents, because their clubs will sell them to not lose money before their contracts expire. So most free agents are: 1. old and expensive wage-wise; 2. players with some kind of history of physical or attitude issues; or 3. Not good enough, if not in categories 1 and 2, because their clubs would either have extended them or sold them in time (unless you’re AC Milan).
For example, if you search for “top soccer free agents 2025/26”, you get names like Vlahovic, Gretzka, Jadon Sancho, Kessie, and Dani Ceballos. Vlahovic is category 1/2, not worth the wage he’s demanding and with a history of physical and attitude problems. Gretzka is category 1. Sancho is category 2, and would probably also ask for a huge wage anyway. Kessie is category 1/2 in that he’s probably too expensive, and I would also say the way he left exhibit questionable attitude (an also why we would not go for him specifically).
Other big names like Gnabry, Brandt, Silva, Konate, Rudiger would fall into the too old and too expensive categories. So that leaves what? Free agents that we’ve never heard of? Then those are category 3.
You have skipped some names, some have already signed since now is 11.08. and we are left with only three weeks of the TW but OK. It’s not just (the thing) with free agents exclusively, many players tend to ask for signing and/or commission fees but they can’t make so excessive demands because there is already a fee (between the clubs) involved so there’s that. Konate was always going to join real, Alaba is a free agent too but I would never go for him. We’ll regret Stones, I’m afraid.