A large part of AC Milan’s summer strategy will revolve around one key issue: the pursuit of a new striker striker.
As Corriere della Sera (via MilanNews) report this morning, the management are looking to give Massimiliano Allegri a ‘classic centre-forward’ in the mould of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud, a profile that has been missing in recent years.
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This season, Allegri attempted to transform Rafael Leao into a striker, but unfortunately things didn’t go as he hoped. So, he and the directors will need to return to the transfer market to finally solve the No.9 problem after too many years and too much wasted money.
Allegri’s requests
Allegri, in the first transfer market meetings he’s already had with CEO Giorgio Furlani and sporting director Igli Tare, has made clear the type of player he wants: an experienced and ready-made striker who guarantees goals.
The management are monitoring and evaluating numerous names, including two whose contracts with their clubs are expiring and who will therefore be leaving for free this summer: Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski and Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic.
The latter is certainly the more promising of the two given he is much younger and has already worked with Allegri. However, Lewandowski is a big name and a more prolific scorer, while his agent is due in Italy to meet Milan and Juventus.
Allegri also highly rates Alexander Sorloth, the Atletico Madrid striker who would cost much less in wages and €25-30m in transfer fee. The path to Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy – with a release clause of €80m – is much more complicated.
Other potential targets will undoubtedly emerge in the coming weeks, but one thing is certain: Milan absolutely cannot make a mistake, as has happened so often in recent years.
I think Sorloth could be great in Serie A
Vlahovic and Sörloth would be one scary attacking pair for any defense. Two beasts with both pace and size.
If Allegri want to stick with 3-5-2 they should sell at least 2 of Leao/Pulisic/Nkunku, keep one as a second striker + Gimenez and bring in two classical center forwards like Vlahovic/Sörloth/Kofane/Guirassy/Lewandovski (dunno what other real 9s are available out there?).
Its clear what type of forwards Allegri want, so give him 2 new ones with the right profile. We need 4-5 CFs in a 3-5-2 with champions league play.
Osimhen & Mateta/ Vlahovic,
we’re still bigger than Galatasaray right?
“an experienced and ready-made striker who guarantees goals.”
Does Vlahovic really guarantee goals? Look at his stats from this season. Not an improvement over our current strikers.
Considering our ‘luck’ on tall and older side type of striker, then Sorloth should be our main target next season. But isn’t he also being targeted by Barca? Will be pretty hard target to begin with.
I havent heard him being targeted by Barcelona but Vlahovic has been mentioned as a potential target.
Personally I would be perfectly fine with either of them or instead getting Lewandowski. Guirassy would also be a fine acquisition.
A striker department with either Lewandowski, Vlahovic, Sørloth or Guirassy + Gimenez or a replacement as second choice + Camarda should offer all ample opportunities in the first team if we qualify for cl. Each player should have a good opportunity to play enough minutes over the entire season.
Sell Nkunku, don’t buy Fulkrug and depending if we wont be playing a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 from time to time then maybe sell Leao as I consider Pulisic to be the player who is able to play in more positions than the portugese player.
Would Pulisic want to drop back and play as an attacking midfielder? He and Rabiot combine well. They both advance the ball and distribute. Pulisic is currently playing as a withdrawn striker – he has the ability to dribble through defenses and create.
Milan could play essentially a 3-4-1-2 with
—-(Striker #1) ——– (Striker #2) ——————-
—————Pulisic / Fofana —————————
——–(2 of Goretzka, Modric, Rabiot)————-
—Bartesaghi———————Salemakers———
——- (3 of Pavlo, Gabbia, de Winter, etc.)——
Ive been saying all season long that our 3-5-2 is basically a 3-6-1 due to the players often used upfront so yeah I do think it wouldn’t matter too much and according to transfermarkt he has played 84 matches in the CAM role and scored 22 and assisted 21 in his entire career. Only 14 matches less than on the left wing and roughly half of what he has played on the right wing.
As a Norwegian my bias would love Sørloth
Sørloth is sluggish, he will flop in serie A. he could thrive if partnered with someone like zaniolo/ hauge
The performances of Giroud and Inzaghi has shown us that speed isn’t a necessary commodity to perform at Milan due to our style of play.
And by the way Sorloth is faster than them both, so I wouldn’t necessarily classify him as sluggish sluggish.
I will prefer vlahviv and guirassy
Vlahovic and guirassy
If the price is 40 mil, why would Atletico discount him for 25-30 if they are also set to lose Alvarez? Doesn’t make sense. So the question is, what is our actual budget, and who are we selling this year to fund our “dreams”?
Get Osimhen and Sorloth and our CF position would have been effectively settled.
there is absolutely no reason for galatasay to sell osinhem. He is their top scorer, one of their best players, and Milan cannot afford an 80-90 mil transfer. This is out of the question.
So sorry buddy… my bad.
Let’s just stick with Fullkrug, maybe there would be absolutely a reason for West Ham to sell.