It has been a busy summer for AC Milan with some notable exits, eight new signings and a tour of the USA, while in amongst all this some youth sector products are trying to establish themselves in the first team.
MilanNews writes how there were four players from Ignazio Abate’s Primavera team that reached the Final Four of the UEFA Youth League that Stefano Pioli wanted a look at: Jan-Carlo Simic, Kevin Zeroli, Chaka Traoré and Davide Bartesaghi.
All of them were part of the tour in the United States, also finding a few minutes on the pitch and giving some bright performances, such as that of Simic against Real Madrid and that of Bartesaghi against Barcelona.
Milan’s idea, perhaps obviously, is to try and create a pathway between the Primavera and the senior side so more and more young players made the big stage.
Bartesaghi, for example, could act as a deputy Theo Hernandez, while the others mentioned will be available to Pioli for any role that he might see fit, while loans cannot be ruled out.
Abate said it quite succinctly during his interview yesterday: “Seeing the great champions, you always manage to steal something from them and off the pitch, I hope my boys have done it, but they are intelligent boys.
“Every year some boys leave as an aggregate to the first team, we work to see one on a permanent basis one day. It would be my dream and that of the whole environment.”
Love to see players like Simic, Bartesaghi, traore, Zeroli, Jimenez and even Camarda (once seen) training with the first team
This should be some great bit of news, what I’ve been calling for, some results from the primavera. But with Pioli at the helm, I’m not really optimistic , as they might “not be ready” the entire season.
“He’s not ready” haha Pioli’s only reason for not playing certain guys who clearly have no talent.
In Pioli’s intricate, Bielsa-like system, only the best can understand it.
A little birdie says I should add….if Pioli stays
Next, MIlan will try to re-invent the hot water.
It’s obvious that all teams want their youngsters to become something so that either they join the first team or are sold for a lot of money.
It’s one thing to claim to want to get youngsters ready for first team, and another one to put money and effort to get them to that stage. Bartesaghi right now is nowhere ready to be a sub for the first team, and the same is true for Zeroli, and Chaka Traore. Maybe Simic might be a bit more solid but central defense is a tricky place. Or maybe we want to retry the Rodrigo Ely experience…
Atalanta got a U23 team in Serie C this year, what did Milan do other than escape relegation last year? Milan wants to play younger players in Primavera… fine, what are their plans for when a player gets 19 or 20 years old. They’re gonna get loaned to some serie B or serie C team that will use them as fillers and not help with their growth. Pobega grew because he was at Spezia with Italiano and at Torino with Juric, both very good coaches, but that’s not always the case.
Personally I’d send Colombo on loan to Cagliari since they have Ranieri this year…
Milan just needs to have a secondary team like they do in Spain. That does allow slightly older players than just Primavera kids. Real Madrid Castilla. A more of a reserve team.
Since Gabbia left, maybe Simic can take his place and we don’t need to sign anyone.
Focus all efforts on a DM, a RB and maybe a striker.
Trust me, as long as pioli is the head coach this youngster won’t get a proper minute, why?… Coz for pioli they r always not ready…