Alexander Sorloth is the latest big-name striker to be linked with a summer move to AC Milan, but what could the towering Norwegian frontman bring to the team?
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Milan’s determination to sign a proven centre-forward during the upcoming summer transfer window is one of the worst-kept secrets in Italian football, but the name of a new potential target has just been added to the mix.
Milan have been averaging a frustratingly modest 1.41 goals per game in Serie A overall this season, though their output in the final third has been regressing even further since the turn of the year, with 13 of the club’s 18 Serie A fixtures since January 1st yielding one or fewer goals.
Indeed, Milan’s lack of cutting edge is threatening to scupper their Champions League qualification push, with bookmakers listed on Mansionbet lengthening the Rossoneri’s odds to make the top four in recent weeks.
Veteran hitman Robert Lewandowski and Serbia’s Dusan Vlahovic have been among those linked with moves to Milan, though fresh reports have indicated that Alexander Sorloth could now be the priority target. Let’s take a closer look at how the Scandinavian striker might make an impact at San Siro.
An efficient finisher
Milan have been crying out for a focal point at centre forward and Sorloth has the right attributes to lead the line with authority.
Despite not being a regular starter, the 30-year-old has enjoyed a productive campaign with current club Atletico Madrid in 2025/26, netting 19 times despite starting only 25 times in all competitions.
In La Liga, Sorloth has been scoring once every 147.75 minutes this season and he’s been just as impactful in the Champions League, netting at a rate of one goal per 97.5 minutes of action.
Sorloth is a proven, clinical finisher and has bagged his 12 La Liga goals this term from an xG of just 10.58, while his six goals in Europe have been harvested from an xG of only 4.65.
Aerial duels
Aerial dominance comes with the package for Sorloth, who stands at an imposing 1.95m (6’5”). The Norwegian knows how to make the most of his height and physique, and provides a commanding presence in both boxes during set plays.
Sorloth has been contesting 7.60 aerial duels per 90 minutes in La Liga this season, winning 4.40 of those battles on average, making him one of the more effective forwards in the division for that metric.
His aerial prowess would add a fresh dynamic to a Milan frontline that has struggled in that department, giving the team more wiggle room to play more direct football and build second-phase attacks in tight games.
Hold-up play
Sorloth can stand as a sort of physical reference point in a team and his elite-level hold-up play can relieve pressure, allowing his teammates to progress up the pitch quickly.
His ability to pin defenders and win flick-ons would be a particularly useful weapon for Milan, with runners like Rafael Leão, Christian Pulisic and even Christopher Nkunku perfectly suited to making use of second-ball opportunities created by Sorloth.
In transitions or when Max Allegri wants his team to play more direct, Sorloth would be the outlet that links defence to attack through a single pass in his direction.
This would enable more vertical progression, reducing the reliance on intricate build-up play in tight spaces and giving Allegri and Milan more tactical flexibility.
Off-the-ball movements
Sorloth is much more than a one-dimensional targetman however, and his intelligent movement without the ball is often under-appreciated.
The attacker has the technical acumen to drop a little deeper and join in with build-up patterns against low blocks with clever one-twos, one of his fortes.
He is also deceptively quick and has enough acceleration to power away from defenders, as evidenced by his second goal in Atletico Madrid’s recent 3-2 victory over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga.
Sorloth showcased the different weapons in his arsenal in that performance, finishing neatly from six yards for his first goal and sprinting clear from the half way line, away from a chasing defender before powering home with his favoured left foot again for his second.
A proven force
Perhaps his biggest plus point, Sorloth is a proven entity, whose productivity and reliability has been proven over a sustained period.
The Trondheim-born poacher is on course to breach the 20-goal barrier for the second successive season with Atletico Madrid, while Sorloth also bagged 26 goals in 41 appearances for previous employers Villarreal before moving to the Spanish capital in 2024.
Sorloth is also an established force at international level, where he has registered 26 goals while winning 70 caps for Norway, with nine of those efforts lodged in his last 19 appearances alone.
Alongside making sense from a positional and statistical point of view, the signing of Sorloth would tick the boxes from a financial angle too, with the latest reports indicating that Milan would have to pay just €20m to wrangle him away from Atletico this summer.
What do you think about Sorloth? Should Milan go for him this summer? Let us know in the comments!