AC Milan seem to have chosen to focus on Zachary Athekame for the right-back role, and it could have implications on the tactical set up.
Milan have already decided on their right-back signing and while waiting for it to become official, you should check out real money casinos. Athekame is the name they are going for rather than Guela Doue, and there are economic reasons behind it.
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The deal is expected to close in the next few hours, but the parties are still working on the details for an operation that will be worth around €8.5m, a far cry from the €30m requested by the French club for the brother of the more famous Desire.
The change of direction requires consideration on multiple levels and involving multiple players, from Igli Tare to Alex Jimenez, including Massimiliano Allegri and Fikayo Tomori.
First and foremost, the Albanian sporting director’s work has consequences, as he effectively cuts costs on a position like right-back. CEO Giorgio Furlani had been quite clear in the past, responding to a question about the wage bill, stating: “There are parameters where if you spend too much on the right, there’s no left.”
This consideration is related to this situation, because limited investment in this position then implies greater availability for other deals, be it central defender, midfielder, or striker. Not only in terms of the pure budget for the player’s transfer fee, but also in terms of the player’s salary.
Is it the coach, Allegri, who is influenced by these types of movements, or is he the architect of certain directions taken? Based on recent reports, the latter is more the case. From this, then, we can speculate on what his Milan side will look like.
For several reasons, the move for the Swiss will see Alex Jimenez – born in 2005 and a year younger than his future teammate – become the starting right wing-back. His experience, especially last season, means he’ll start ahead of the Young Boys player, at least on paper. Unless Alexis Saelemaekers is preferred, as a wing-back.
Finally, a brief mention for Fikayo Tomori, who during the tour was used as the right-sided centre-back in the three-man defence. He is an additional solution, but so far without a real alternative in the position.
None of the players in the squad are ready for this “Barzagli-style” role. Not Athekame, not Jimenez, not Saelemaekers. Guela Doue could have been, but the chosen path was different. And for this reason, the discussions in the coming weeks will also have to change.
