It is easy to look back at decisions within football with the benefit of hindsight, especially given how the second half of Milan’s 2020-21 season has gone.
As MilanNews writes, the decision to sign Mario Mandzukic as a free agent has not produced the desired results. The Croatian has not brought his experience and his killer instinct to the Milan attack and the Rossoneri have inevitably suffered, with injuries limiting his contribution.
In retrospect, the signing can be defined as disappointing. If on a professional level the Croatian seemed a flawless choice, from a physical and performance point of view he was lacking where the first cause is clearly the direct consequence of the second.
He had not played for months and was looking for a club in Europe after a disappointing spell in Qatar, and that was enough reason to worry. The well-deserved renewal of Ibrahimovic does not change an issue that has been present for 18 months – who will be his deputy?
If Rebic and Leao have shown that they do not have the characteristics to play in this role and Mandzukic has not given the physical guarantees, it is obvious that the purchase of a reliable striker who can guarantee goals and performances will be needed.
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That was blatantly obvious from the start.
1. He was never a prolific goalscorer.
2. Didn’t play any football for a year.
3. He is thirty four.
Question is — what did they expect?