The new year is just around the corner, and for AC Milan supporters, it can’t come quickly enough. The club strengthened heavily in the summer, spending over €70m to bring in the likes of Youssouf Fofana, Strahinja Pavlović, Emerson Royal, and Alvaro Morata. But despite the additions, the Rossoneri still finds itself way down in seventh place and off the pace of the leading pack.
With the January transfer window set to open in the new year, there can be no denying that manager Paolo Fonseca needs to strengthen if he wishes to reignite his side’s Scudetto challenge. The San Siro outfit is currently ten points off of table-topping Napoli and six points off the top four. Even though teams such as Atalanta, Lazio, and Fiorentina have all managed to throw themselves into the title fight, Milan remains out of contention.
As such then, further strengthening in January is a must. But making marquee signings in the winter window is something the club has managed to successfully do in years gone by. Here are AC Milan’s finest-ever January buys.
Mario Balotelli
Nobody can deny Mario Balotelli’s talent, and when AC Milan brought him back to Italy in January 2013 after a challenging stint at Manchester City, the move paid instant dividends. Reuniting with the club he had supported as a child, Super Mario delivered a string of astonishing performances to guide his new club to Champions League qualification.
Balotelli scored 12 goals in 13 Serie A appearances during the second half of the 2012-13 season. His debut against Udinese was something of a fairytale, as he scored twice – including a last-minute penalty – to secure a dramatic victory.
His thunderous free kicks, clinical finishing, and composure under pressure made him a favourite almost overnight. While his time at the club was not without controversy, his immediate impact in that January window remains one of Milan’s greatest mid-season success stories.
Zlatan Ibrahimović
It’s hard to leave Zlatan Ibrahimović off a list of influential signings, and his January 2020 return might be the best example of his enduring greatness. At 38 years old, many doubted the veteran striker’s ability to thrive in one of Europe’s top leagues, especially after spending the last 18 months in Los Angeles. However, Zlatan silenced his critics and then some.
The talismanic Swede became the experienced leader Milan desperately needed. His arrival transformed a struggling squad into title contenders. Not only did he score 10 goals in half a season in 2019-20, but his leadership and winning mentality inspired younger players like Theo Hernández and Rafael Leão to up their game.
The following season, Zlatan continued to defy Father Time by scoring 15 goals in just 19 appearances, as Milan finished second in Serie A, returning to the Champions League after a lengthy absence.
The following campaign, they were champions, and although Ibra played a bit-part role in that triumph, his return to the club was the catalyst that propelled them forward, reinvigorating its identity and reminding the world of its status as a European powerhouse.
Fikayo Tomori
Fikayo Tomori’s arrival in January 2021 marked a turning point for Milan’s defence. Initially signed on loan from Chelsea, the English defender was seen as somewhat of a coup, especially because he had featured plenty in the Blues starting 11 under Frank Lampard. He wasted no time proving his quality.
His pace, strength, and tactical intelligence brought a new level of energy to a struggling backline. The powers that be at the San Siro immediately recognised that the addition was a masterstroke, and they moved quickly to make the deal a permanent one six months later.
Since then, he has played a crucial role in the Milan resurgence, helping the club secure Champions League qualification for the first time in seven years in his first full season.
Tomori’s 2021-22 campaign was even more remarkable, as he anchored a defense that kept 18 clean sheets, a key factor in Milan’s first Scudetto win in a decade. Two years on from that, and the former Derby County loanee has fallen down the pecking order somewhat.
He was dropped at the back end of November with manager Fonseca preferring any two of Strahinja Pavlović, Malick Thiaw, and Mattia Gabbia. He will have to work hard to force his way back into his boss’ plans.
