AC Milan’s determination to take the top four race down to the wire is impacting their plans to sign targets like Leon Goretzka.
Milan are having a difficult few weeks, and Sunday’s defeat in Reggio Emilia against Sassuolo has only further exacerbated a general mood that hasn’t been great around Milanello for some time. Six points are needed (at most) in the final three games to secure a top four spot.
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If the collapse continues and the Rossoneri fall out, there will be a big knock-on effect. A club like Milan can’t afford to miss the Champions League for a second season in a row. History dictates they must play on Europe’s most important stage.
Then it’s a matter of planning, because the Champions League significantly alters what the Rossoneri could do to build a squad suited to Massimiliano Allegri’s needs.
Goretzka waits
This morning, Corriere dello Sport (via MilanNews) discussed precisely this concept, using Leon Goretzka as an example. There’s no point in hiding it: the Bayern Munich midfielder is the object of Allegri’s desire but qualification for the Champions League is a prerequisite for the final push.
Europe’s top club competition is attractive and appealing to potential signings, especially if they have played in it almost every year of their career. Goretzka has numerous offers, and Milan are a desirable destination to him, but less so if they are not in the UCL.
So, the Diavolo are not only playing to finish this season on a high note and to secure the potential €100m in revenues, but also to have the best chance to build a team that can hold its own next year and kick on.
A midfield featuring Goretzka, Adrien Rabiot and hopefully Luka Modric is enticing. To achieve this, they’ll need to do their job in the final three games of this season, to begin next season on the best possible footing.
“A club like Milan can’t afford to miss the Champions League for a second season in a row. History dictates they must play on Europe’s most important stage.”
A club like Milan can’t afford to miss the CL ever, maybe, just MAYBE ONCE every 25 TO 30 YEARS.
We missed out on CL for 2013-2020 let’s not apply selective criticism here. That was seven seasons in a row, yet we still think Milan is same Milan of the golden era.
Since the current ownership came on board, we only missed out on CL last season.
We need to seriously get rid of many useless players, Tomori RLC Fofana Nkunku and Estupinian as they no longer or never had the level . We should put the sentiments to the side, this is Milan and we need to sign smart, either confirmed players for big money or serious prospects. No longer signing PL and La Liga leftovers for 20-30 . It has been proven a disastrous policy and we’re not going anywhere good with
Fofana is better than Ricci and Ardon & we shouldn’t sell him. Odogu, Tomori, Estupinan, RLC, one of Ricci or Ardon, Nkunku, Leao, Gimenez, these are for sale. On the other hand, eight departures would probably be too much and Tomori and Ricci/Ardon can remain provided that we buy some high quality center-backs and midfielders, of course.