GdS: Milan in search of a versatile forward – Deulofeu and Zaniolo among the options

By Oliver Fisher -

AC Milan are looking to strengthen their attacking options ahead of the 2022-23 season and there are a number of players in mind, a report claims.

La Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting that Domenico Berardi of Sassuolo remains on the Milan wish list, while Luis Alberto of Lazio is an option that they have considered in the past and there is the possibility that the Aquile consider a bid of €20m plus bonuses.

However, some even more tempting names are emerging such as Charles De Ketelaere of Club Brugge who can play either as an attacking midfielder or a centre-forward. He was valued at €30m last summer, now he would be €35m plus a lot of bonuses.

Nicolo Zaniolo of Roma is a target as well, at least until he extends his contract with Roma, with the current deadline being June 2024. Milan’s strategy could be to add another striker for free to support Divock Origi (we must keep an eye on Belotti’s decision) and then transfer the budget to the No.10/right wing role.

De Ketelaere with the bonuses is approaching €40m, Zaniolo – in case of non-renewal – would go beyond that amount, so the cheapest would be Berardi. That’s why the name of Gerard Deulofeu has re-emerged.

At 28 he is still quite young, and with 13 goals scored in Serie A for Udinese last season he would have been Milan’s top scorer. The Spaniard has another two years on his deal with Udinese, with Milan and Napoli pursuing a deal that could materialise at €15m, with Udinese willing to let him go if the right offer arrives from a club who would let him further his career.

Tags AC Milan Charles De Ketelaere Domenico Berardi Gerard Deulofeu Luis Alberto Nicolo Zaniolo

13 Comments

  1. Only one that interest me is De Ketelaere.
    Deulofeu stats from this year look good but he played as a 2nd striker in a 2 man front. If he comes to Milan he can only be a back up to leao at LW.
    Don’t want anything to do with Zaniolo. Bad attitude, bad performances. Had 1 good half a season and people started comparing him to Kaka. Stop that.
    I like Luis Alberto but he is over 30 and dealing with Lotito is a nightmare.
    Give me De Ketelaere

  2. Deulofeu would be a good substitute, but he is not a player to be a starter in a team that aims to make it through the group stage in UCL and win the scudetto. I think the time of choosing players based almost entirely on who the cheapest one is should be in the past now. We already have a very strong base. I agree with Maldini that now we need 2 or 3 very good signings to take the team to the next stop, striking now while the iron is hot. Deulofeu as a starter won’t take this team to the next level to compete in UCL and win titles, it would be a signing aimed at keeping Milan playing for a UCL spot in Serie A consistently and maybe a coppa italia here and there but never quite competing for titles. I’ll take one or two De Ketelaeres over five Deulofeus any day.

  3. Zaniolo have both leg got ACL. It cannot be recovered or cured forever. His price are over too ( 40-60m euro) . Deulofeu still below our winger level for now

    1. LOL. An operated ACL is as good as new after one year. Trust me, I know what I’m talking about. 😉

      Anyone can rapture his ACL (just look at Zlatan) and it’s not a sign of injury proneness. I’ve played for 3 decades and had ONE major injury. ACL. Hasn’t bothered me ever since.

  4. Sometimes i wonder when some of started fanning Milan, so you people want Charles K, who have not even proven him anywhere, he is not even the best player in his team, even his highlight is highly average, or is because he from Belgium….deloufeu is highly underated, that guy will really step up our RW/AM more than BErArdi oR Charles will do, he already showed us what he could do when he can to loan at Milan, even though Milan then was mediocre….. deulofeu also knows that coming to Milan IS his last chance of proving himself in world of football and i trust him to be another leao at the Right…he is fast, dribbles, an eye for goal and also very aggressive, perfect for our system

    1. Charles de Ketelaere has already played 3 champions league and 2 europa league and is 22 years old, Deulofeu is 28 and has only played one champions league and barely had a few minutes to play. Having good stats against run of the mill Serie A teams will not take Milan to a competitive level in UCL. We must get players who know European competitions and De Ketelaere does much better than Deulofeu despite being a lot younger. When you look up the teams Deulofeu scored or had great games against for the most part they’re far from being even the most competitive in the league, any player Milan can buy will score against them anyway, Origi, Lang, De Ketelaere, Berardi, any of them, what Milan needs now is players who have experience in European competitions, have a lot of potential and room to growth (Deulofeu has already shown what he’s capable of, De Ketelaere peak is still far from being reached and can grow in the team), and let’s not even mention Deulofeu does not play in the RW at Udinese, not even in a position like Brahim’s at Milan, he has those stats because he had freedom to play all over the attack at Udinese, and basically the team played for him, Milan is going to be an entirely different role, so he’s tested in Serie A at Udinese, in Udinese’s system, not very tested in a team that takes the lead in matches and plays a similar style to ours, at least De Ketelaere plays for a big team in his country, it’s a different type of mentality and playing style. With the Ketelaere you’re getting present and a lot of future with Deulofeu we’ve already seen the best of him and doesnt really have much room to grow.

  5. N Zaniola is the best Player acmilan need.He is like Kaka and he is Real Playmaker.
    Please buy any means as soon as possiple

  6. Charles De Ketelaere or N Zaniola are two good Player that acmilan is need if we want to bloster our playmaker role that we suffered alot.And if want play forward iin the Champions league we(Acmilan ) Most imorove in 3 Positions: A.Real Good Palymaker,B.Real Strong Number 9(D Nunes)
    Or Alverz of Penerol,Real Right winger such as D Berardi. And Diffensive Midfilder(Kamara of Meraielle,The 8 of Bourdoux. Id same team of Adil

  7. I hope we can get De Ketelaere, or atleast Dealofue. Both have afordable price with current Milan. As for Dealofue, he already has a familiarity with Serie A and AC Milan of course, but the most important is that he is hard worker player.

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