Journalist Carlo Pellegatti has appealed to the AC Milan management to make signings in January to strengthen a squad that is depleted due to injuries.
Most major sources are suggesting that Milan are more likely to have a quiet winter mercato rather than make any big splashed, although goalkeeper Devis Vasquez has already arrived on a permanent deal from Club Guarani in Paraguay.
The Rossoneri management have rarely pushed the boat out in January during recent seasons, but given the amount of absentees there are at the moment due to injuries there is the risk of falling behind in the title race unless the ranks are bolsteded.
Pellegatti spoke about the Milan transfer market in a video on his YouTube channel and he pleaded with Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara to consider making a couple of additions this month.
“In defence, after Ballo-Touré’s injury, I would look for some opportunities. You could focus on Dest, but he would be a player adapted to that role given that he plays on the right,” he said (via MilanNews).
“There are plenty in midfield, so we’re fine. Milan need a striker for me. I make an appeal to the club: look for a striker. I can’t think that Milan should play against Lecce, Inter, Lazio, Sassuolo and again Inter only with Giroud.
“Lazetic is still too young. It is true that we will recover Rebic and Origi, but when will they be able to play for 90 minutes? It will take time and therefore now it will always be Giroud’s turn. We need a ready striker, a opportunity, no one is asking for a 45 million euro coup.
“We need to look for a ready player who can play immediately after two training sessions. In the other departments we have rotations, instead we need a new reinforcement up front.”
“We need a ready striker, an opportunity. No one is asking for a 45 million euro coup.”
Exactly.
Where is the sporting director of the year to go and sign a player on loan that can help us right away? How about a left back? Ballo Toure was useless before the injury.
Rebic and Origi have not been fit for more than 2 games in a row, nor am I counting on them to be fit.
Do something. You don’t need a 100-million budget to sign a backup.
I need Adrian Bernabe from Parma to back up Bennacer.
Milan was interested in the past. They need to go back for him.
Thuram is in his last 6 months of contract, just sayin. So is Dembélé from lyon
The great Ancelotti Milan team as well as the Barcelona and Real Madrid teams of recent years managed to compete on multiple fronts with squads of 23 players, and with cores of about 16 players.
In Ancelotti’s Milan team a 40 year old Costacurta played RB and LB, Ambrosini covered across the midfield three including replacing the far more talented Pirlo and Seedorf. Inzaghi was injured for most of 2007 so we switched to a Christmas tree.
The Man Utd treble team (if we’re allowed to go back that far) had such greats as David May, Phil Neville, and Nicky Butt covering across the defence and midfield.
When one of the Juve BBC was injured or needed a rest, Cáceres filled in across the back the three.
One of the signs that this Milan team was special and united was when Calabria moved into midfield. Kalulu did the same. These makeshift moves actually are some of the key indicators of a successful team because it shows the ability to adapt around a core set of players.
We don’t need to sign new players. We have a massive squad and a number of blockers for young players coming through. CDK needs to be given space if he’s to reach his €30m plus value.
We don’t have a massive squad, we just have a lot of players on our payroll but 30% of them are constantly unavailable.
We just have ONE striker who is 36 years old.
As someone else said, Rebic and Origi haven’t been able to stay healthy for more than 2 games in a row. Can you guarantee that will change when they come back from these recent injuries.
Or everything will be fine when a 42 year old part time tik toker, part time workout junkie comes back.
We need another striker immediately.
‘We don’t have a massive squad, we just have a lot of players on our payroll but 30% of them are constantly unavailable.’
Yep. And another 20% of the squad players are unusable. Adli, Bakayoko, Lazetic, Ballo Toure, Mirante, Thiaw and Vramckx has played what, 60 minutes each in 6 months.
There is a reason Pioli doesn’t use them, they are not good enough.
what about vicent Aboubaka
I actually endorse this call for a striker. It’s been something we’ve been trying to solve for a couple of windows. Ibra is obviously at the end. Giroud was always a stop gap measure. I do appreciate Giroud. He’s scored some good goals for us. But at 36, and after playing in the WC and having no rest, he’s running on fumes. The question is WHO could this affordable yet effective signing be?
Zlatan will be back in a couple of weeks. Look at his stats from the last seasons. He will be enough if/when fit.
@ 20&8 A quick count shows we have 31 players (Thirty One). Last season Real Madrid had a squad of 25 (easy to count because Spanish squads have to be numbered 1-25 which I like because it keeps some kind of structure).
By my count we have about 9 players who could play up front: Giroud, Ibra. Origi, Rebic, Lazetić, Leao, Messias, CDK or Brahim (some of those can be false 9s).
Plus we have Colombo on loan.
What more do you want?
If we sign some shiny new player and those players come back to fitness how will anyone get a game?
And another player will give Pioli more options which is not necessarily a good thing. Now that teams can make 5 subs managers make 5 subs which disrupts the matches even more (and could in part explain our collapse against Roma).
This is the thing. Endless options, endless signings, endless subs, are not always a good thing. Sometimes working within one’s limitations is what brings out the best.
How many of those 31 players are actually available and good enough to play?
Do you know when any of them will be available to play or that they can actually stay available?
You are counting names, but unavailable and unusable players on the field.
Giroud should be the backup not someone that starts and plays every 3 days without a break
Giroud should absolutely be the back up. Not taking anything away from him, he’s been invaluable, but the narrative when he signed was as a back up and we haven’t nailed one attacking target. Our budgets been spent filling holes from players not renewing. I don’t understand why we can’t tie these players down and sell them when there’s clearly a market for them.
Zlatan will be back in a couple of weeks. Look at his stats from the last seasons. He will be enough if/when fit.
@ Vero Rossonero The management obviously saw something in De Ketelaere to pay that much money for him so now is the time for him to step up as CF/False 9. Plus we could move Brahim up and give Adli a game. Why have these players if we’re not going to use them?
The man is right.
We’ve needed a striker since zlatan left the first time. We went big with silva but that’s sadly giving too much money and power to monkeys. I wish we could have that 40m to spend again on a striker. Weee not going to find a striker in January. Tge best chance we have is offering competitive wages to an out of contract (won’t happen) or throwing some decent money. My god how I hope Vlahovic and Juve separate and we get him.
Why not take Aubamayang on six month loan. Hes not playing at Chelsea. Obviously we need a permanent solution..
It would be nice motivation for him to return to Milan and win something after all these years. (hes the player who shud have been our striker for last 10 years)