AC Milan are in talks over the signing of talented midfielder Matija Popović and they are confident they will win the race to sign him, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Milan have shown a willingness to procure young talent from abroad to boost their youth sector through the additions of Jan-Carlo Simic, Alex Jimenez, Alexander Simmelhack, Dariusz Stalmach and Mateusz Skoczylas among others.
According to what Romano said in his Daily Briefing column on the CaughtOffside Substack, Milan are ‘advancing in talks’ to sign the 17-year-old Serbian talent Matija Popović from Partizan Belgrade as a free agent in January.
There are multiple clubs interested but Milan are ‘leading the race’ and are ‘confident of getting a deal done soon’ as per the journalist. We can presume given his age that it would be a signing initially for the Primavera.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax have all been linked with Popović, who only has a contract until the end of this year and thus can depart in January.
A very good player indeed, but aren’t we signing too many non-Italian players. He is very good though, I can’t even complain.
If they come through primavera after a few years they are counted as fully homegrown.
So its not the nationality that matters for that category for UEFA squads but the time before a certain age (I believe its 21)
Yes, I know that. My point is that we should focus more on an Italian core rather than a non-Italian core. We always had a world-class Italian core, but now we only have 1 Italian player in the starting lineup.
I know we are buying high potential cheap players or players in their last year of contract, but the issue is how will they develop into first team starters when our manager doesn’t want to give first team spot to our youth players.
I am not against buying good young players, but what use will it be when they will even play for first team. We should shift our focus to buying young but proven first team players just like Musah.
So if we sign him as with those other players mentioned there are 2 possibilities.
1. He is very good plays with Primavera, goes on multiple loans and then becomes successful at another club like Kerkez
2. He is not good enough and is never heard of again
For some reason the best 18 or 19 yo’s are not worthy of a 1st team chance at Milan. Unlike squads with huge talent like, Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Bayern, Barca etc who have no issue giving youth players a chance
What was the name of the last young Serbian guy we signed for about €5m who had been playing in the Serbian 2nd division? A striker?
Perhaps we are better off disbanding the youth sector and putting the money towards the first team squad.
Why sign Pelligrino when we have Simic? Why sign Jovic when we have Colombo? Are those guys any better?
Exactly my point. No they are not better in any way. But I like that at least we changing our stance towards Primavera. And that already pays off. Now we need to convince Pioli to not afraid of using this talent.
Because Colombo wants to play first team football. That is the answer to your question.
And you don’t think if we had Giroud and Colombo that he would get ample playing time?
He would certainly be better than Jovic.
Giroud can’t play every game
Exciting talent, but the only way he plays minutes under Pioli is if our entire midfield in injured LOL!!!