AC Milan conducted what might just have been their busiest winter window in a long time, but it was far from panic-driven according to a report.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport write, some have already labelled it Milan’s ‘best winter market ever’ and, more than the money used to create it, the names signed stand out. The Rossoneri have managed to put together two factors that – especially in January – are very difficult to combine: quality at reasonable costs.
Strengthening without breaking the bank was key, something that remains a modus operandi overall for the club and has done since 2018. Basically, a jolt was needed to try to get back on its feet a season where the primary objective – qualification for the next Champions League – was and remains at risk.
It seems that fans have recognised the efforts made too, because during Milan’s win over Roma in the Coppa Italia during midweek, the fans stopped protesting against the ownership. Is it peace? Maybe, but the doubts of part of the fans remain anyway.
Now Milan have a squad that can see Santiago Gimenez send Joao Felix through on goal, or Kyle Walker commanding the defence like the veteran he is. In short, it is a statement of ambition, because carrying on with things as they were was not deemed an option.
The aggressive January market appears as further proof of RedBird’s desire to provide consistency in the ownership of the club also in terms of sporting objectives, because missing out on the Champions League is not an option.
It was a mercato that was based not on gut instinct or ‘panic-generated signings’, but on reasoned investments, combining the needs of the squad and those of the budget, to avoid putting Milan’s financial stability at risk.
The ‘usual’ €20m signing this time has become about €30m (plus bonuses) for Gimenez, to which was added the €12m for Warren Bondo and the ‘small change’ for the loans of Walker, Joao Felix and Sottil.
Something uncommon, in short, just as in RedBird’s philosophy it was uncommon to fire a coach in the middle of the season. What is missing now? Three things, in the short and medium term: qualification for the Champions League, further reinforcements in the summer and the concrete start on a new stadium.
Look, I know I’m no expert but I honestly hope we get some changes in next season. Hopefuly we get coppa italia and CL qualification and then really revamp whole squad in summer. In my opinion Leao’s time here has gone. Id love to get him going, get Felix on permanent and transition into 442. Then we could really be onto something. For now lets just hope we end this season in best possible way
But Leao still have consistent numbers in attack like previous years. You can’t fin for Milan better than him. Specifically when money is in charge.
You think that Joao is cheap ? He costs over 40 million in transfer fee + almost 10 in wage. For that fee he must have same numbers as Leao. We will see untill the end of season but Joao already missed one big chance against Empoli.
Tf are u on? For 40mil Felix has to have same numbers as Leao? Inconsistent player that has a valuation of 80mil and has a release clause of 175? Real logical point for sure….
Yes he should have shoot not try a lob again, but you cant tell me that Leao this season is being worth waiting. Just tell me one game(other then supercoppa against inter, ill give him credit for that) where he was decisive? Yesterday sure, other the that, not so much. And for a player of his worth and potential he has to have twice as numbers he has, and play every game like he used to play in scuddeto season. Not every 10th game. So you can try to convince me as long as you want. But from rational stance i think we would be more of a team without him.
Just remember that we got Pulisic for 20mil. 20mil!! And for a 2nd season in a row he has more impact on gsmes, every single one, and will end up with better numbers this season AGAIN then Leao. For 20mil. Let that sink in
And just one more thing. You cant find a replacement that would be cheaper then him? Ehat about Lookman? Lower valuation, twice as good whole season, better stats then leao.
Leao remains the most talented and the symbol of the project, how can you sell him?
We had our best winter mercato in living memory and the best in Serie A and management deserve some credit for this. It’s just a pity they had to try out Fonseca and the other mediocre signings in order to realize what the fans knew all along. We still need a dm, though.
Yes that’s the biggest problem in this season. They spent a lot on Emerson Royal, Morata which made right back position and attack even worse. Pavlovic is still younger then those two and Fofana is OK signing.
With combination of Fonseca who destroyed relationship with star players, and this year flops – Okafor, Chukwueze, Ruben Loftus, Jovic and Tomori, final result is this one.
After this winter mercato Milan don’t need to even think about Morata and Emerson Royal kind of signings.
Spot on – I still don’t know what they were smoking signing Royal – think Fonseca wanted him..
The big flop (after Fonseca) is Moratta imo. If we had a proper striker starting the season we would have looked different. But we also suffered for Theo’s poor defensive form, much more than the Emerson signing.
Management agrees that a dm was needed….and they signed Warren Bondo. Will be interesting to see how he does. Can’t say I’ve seen a lot of his matches. Hopefully he does the job needed.
Keputusan yang terlambat yang dilakukan SI AMERIKA TERHADAP MILAN. Memang sudah waktunya SI AMERIKA DI PECAT DARI KEPEMILIKAN MILAN
I like each of the five additions, and take no issue with any of the departures. That said,
How important does Kyle Walker already look to Milan? It reminds me so much of when Thiago Silva arrived at Chelsea. A veteran who quickly brough the defensive line together. Gabbia, Pavlovic and Thiaw will all become better players from being out on the pitch with him.
And what is not to like about Santi Gimenez in the red and black! Felix staying here feels unlikely, but he is fun to watch. Sottil feels like an upgrade up front over Okafor and we all hope that Bondo can become that extra player the midfield needs to allow better rotation.
I commented in previous weeks that there was too much hype around this mercato and we still don’t know how/good bad the players are. That being said, I don’t think we could have hoped for more in a winter transfer window, getting Ricci would have been huge but I don’t think it would have been feasible this winter. In any case, our winter transfer window looks much better than our summer transfer window.
I don’t know if there was a panic in some sorts, but I think everyone in the Milan management understood by december that our chances to qualify for UCL next season were really put in jeopardy thanks to Fonseca and the summer purchases and missing UCL next season would be catastrophic, so there was no more time for petty calculations and algorithms or whatever.
Don’t believe this transfer window has had anything to do with Redbird they haven’t got the money to buy the club let alone transfers.
All the talk is Felix a player which ISN’T OURS AND WON’T BE UNDER THIS OWNERSHIP COME JUNE also he ain’t that good .
This market as a whole for Italy has been terrible and further damage has been caused through selling top talent and not investing in the right QUALITY REPLACEMENTS.
If it’s true investicorp have agreed with oak Tree with regards the sale of Inter then there’s possibly hope for big change especially going toe to toe with uefa with regards FFP which is the go to excuse for top Italian clubs.
“ The aggressive January market appears as further proof of RedBird’s desire to provide consistency in the ownership of the club also in terms of sporting objectives, because missing out on the Champions League is not an option.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! You actually wrote that @OliverFisher???? Are you on the Redbird payroll now?? How Embarassing buddy
First the WAS a panic buying. We risk losing UCL spot for next season and if we don that the whole system we are built on FAILS. Second we don’t commit to Felix and Sottil. One is a DRY loan and the other an option to buy – but that depends on how many of our players we have on loans are bought by other clubs. Yes we bought Santi. 17M out of pocket. Other 17M came from SuperCoppa win. We were forced into that purchase because Morata wanted out. Had he stayed I doubt we have purchased Santi in January. Same with Benny. No do doesn’t come if Benny didn’t ask to leave.
Don’t drink the KoolAod Oliver and don’t forget Gerry owes 13% interest on that 600M loan. Went from 7 to 13% when they refinanced it. That means we went from 42M/year in interest payments to 78M/year….so UCL is an absolute MUST
The bottom line is Gerry is biding his time to SELL the club. We will NEVER build nor renovate a stadium. We are buying time u til the right offer comes. Likely we will sell a minority stake in summer.
But let’s not be delusional and think “ The aggressive January market appears as further proof of RedBird’s desire to provide consistency in the ownership of the club also in terms of sporting objectives…” NO – the aggressive January market was the FEAR of missing out on UCL revenue to be able to make payments on the loan until Redbird sells the club
EXACTLY!!! l don’t understand the pretence here.
“the aggressive January market was the FEAR of missing out on UCL revenue ” spot on!!! It’s so blatantly obvious what happened. We had to change course, these things weren’t things we wanted all along or planned. I see people once more falling for the “best winter Mercato in years” …..sounds familiar?
PLUS we didn’t exactly get additional pieces added to the squad, we simply got replacements in the hope that they do better than the ones they replaced. It’s one big gamble for trying to secure a UCL money spot. It’s like renovating the kitchen but it’s still needs a fridge (DM). Yes you got new cupboards and a nice quartz countertop but your kitchen is still missing a friggin fridge!!
Oh it wasnt panic buying? So we were just cool with 8th place and just happened to break our transfer fee limit….in January??? We planned to get an “expensive” striker because we were going to plan it like that anyway?? Ok..sure.