With the farewells of Simon Kjaer and Olivier Giroud, AC Milan also said goodbye to two players who can be considered leaders within the squad, something the management must be wary of.
As MilanNews writes, the presence of the centre-back and the striker has always been very important for the many young players who have arrived at Milanello in recent seasons but now the club and the new head coach will have to do without them.
In addition to that, there are a lot of rumours suggesting that Milan will listen to offers for some star players including Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao when the window opens, a trio who have become cornerstones of the side in recent years.
Both Stefano Pioli and Giroud spoke to Sky and gave their last interviews as coach and player after the 3-3 draw against Salernitana last Saturday, and they preached the importance of Maignan.
Pioli responded as follows: “Milan is losing depth but the guys who are here have grown. In terms of impact, I think Maignan can be a point of reference for the dressing room.”
Giroud echoed his sentiments: “I see players like Mike [Maignan] doing it well. He has personality, for me he must continue to be the leader on and off the pitch.”
Even Antonio Mirante – who was in the same department and is also departing – reinforced their words in an interview with Radio Serie A.
“Mike is an incredible professional, a total goalkeeper who is destined to improve even further in the coming years. His charisma can be felt just by looking at him in the dressing room you know he’s there, he conveys certainty and this quality is essential for his role.”
Milan do not need to sell any players unlike rivals and yet – as happened last year with Sandro Tonali – if huge offers arrive the club is willing not only to listen to them, but also to accept them. Many, including Maignan, Theo and Leao, would be ready to possibly sacrifice the French goalkeeper if they had to choose.
But then the issue comes full circle and the question must be asked, is it really worth giving up another leader of the dressing room? It is undeniable that signing a new reliable goalkeeper is easier than replacing one of the strongest left-backs in the world like Theo or a winger like Leao, but sometimes value goes beyond transfer fees and statistics.
With a new head coach arriving too, losing a key piece could be further destabilising. The summer of 2012 showed this when Milan struggled for years to come after Gennaro Gattuso, Pippo Inzaghi, Alessandro Nesta and Clarence Seedorf all said goodbye.