AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli will have to deal with a depleted midfield over the next six weeks, and may have to call upon the Primavera for help like he has done in other department.
As MilanNews reports, Ismael Bennacer will most likely leave for the Africa Cup of Nations in January while Tommaso Pobega will be out for around four months after undergoing surgery. Rade Krunic seems to be out of favour and could leave, while Yacine Adli has disappeared from the rotations again.
Yunus Musah is currently out injured with a slight muscle issue, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been great since his arrival in the summer but he has had physical issues, including repeated fatigue in his puboadductor area. That leaves Tijjani Reijnders as the sole guarantor for a tough few weeks ahead.
Cagliari await in the Coppa Italia, plus Empoli, Roma, Udinese and Bologna in Serie A in January, then in February there are immediately games against Napoli, Rennes and Atalanta. It goes without saying that all the doubts that permeate the midfield are indeed worrying.
In the event that Fenerbahce do not bring the right offer then Krunic could be eligible for use, just as Loftus-Cheek could get rid of these problems that are affecting him and Adli could provide reassurances in the games he will surely get.
A hand could also come from the transfer window, but it must be understood how an investment in midfield fits in with other priorities, how the elimination from the Champions League has affected the possibility of investing in January as well as the more urgent needs like centre-back.
After Jan-Carlo Simic’s dream debut, Francesco Camarda’s record-breaking appearance and Davide Bartesaghi’s increased use, Pioli might think of also involving Kevin Zeroli, the Italian midfielder who captains the Primavera.
This is certainly an opportunity that Zeroli can exploit: a month and a half with the senior team to show that he belongs, as the other teenagers have.
