GdS: Signings, sales and renewals – Milan remain as committed as ever to their youth project

By Oliver Fisher -

AC Milan’s youth-led philosophy shows no signs of slowing down and instead they seem set to put even more faith in young players.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) talks in particular about the Rossoneri’s growing influence from players born in 2000, as Charles De Ketelaere will join the likes of Yacine Adli, Sandro Tonali and Pierre Kalulu.

The other players who are 25 or under include Fikayo Tomori, Theo Hernández, Ismaël Bennacer, Alexis Saelemaekers, Tommaso Pobega, Brahim Díaz and Rafael Leão. Meanwhile, Japhet Tanganga (23) and Carney Chukwuemeka (18) are targets.

It must be noted that a youth project such as this means that Milan will not be able to resist a top offer from an elite European side for their best players such as Rafael Leao, with player trading simply a necessity in the path to cost containment and creating a virtuous cycle.

The good news however is that it is a well-built project and new signings are integrated well. Thus, for example, De Ketelaere can arrive with relative peace without suffering too much pressure right away, thus aiding his development.

A number of renewals are also on the agenda with Tommaso Pobega soon set to extend until 2027 while talks with the agents of Bennacer, Tomori, Kalulu and Tonali are underway. Leão’s renewal will be tackled too, but he is in a difficult financial and legal situation given the Sporting CP case, and there are many top teams in Europe keen on him.

The current wage bill is perfect for a club that is seeking financial balance and the paper notes how the salary of a few players is even lower than their real value on the market. The many renewals, however, will bring an increase in the amount of wages and a new challenge will emerge which is to manage a more expensive team with balance, winning trophies while ensuring the long-term financial suitability of the club.

Tags AC Milan Alexis Saelemaekers Brahim Diaz Charles De Ketelaere Fikayo Tomori Ismaël Bennacer Rafael Leao Theo Hernandez Tommaso Pobega Yacine Adli

5 Comments

  1. After they’ve getting the core of the team,they shouldn’t sell that way they can compete well in Europe and win the champions league,as for the league we will retain it.

  2. “ It must be noted that a youth project such as this means that Milan will not be able to resist a top offer from an elite European side for their best players such as Rafael Leao, with player trading simply a necessity in the path to cost containment and creating a virtuous cycle.”

    Says it all right there….we will eventual be a selling club. Doesn’t look like we will hold players long term (like for example a Liverpool) to challenge for CL every season. If we are fortunate to win before our young players hit their primes (like we did last year) – great – if not we sell when they hit their primes. Leao will likely be first. We can win Serie A like that (as we have already proved) but CL is another story and high;y unlikely. Great business model. Not great for the fans.

    1. Every club is a selling club. It’s only a matter of “the right offer”. Mane actually left Liverpool. Does it mean Liverpool has now dropped their status to “selling club”? Bayern sold Lewandowski. Are they a selling club now as well?

      Newsflash! Everybody sells! Well… Except Milan. They let players leave for free. That’s gotta change!

      1. Just as expected. Provide facts and Juro goes missing. He doesn’t deal with facts very well. But then again, who would expect any reasonable reply from him. Ever.

  3. Unfortunately until we biuld the stadium this are the state of affairs. Without our stadium there is no way to compete with the big guns in Europe

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