Commitment and Stuff
In my last article, I broke down the fundamental issue with Milan’s long-term situation, which really doesn’t just concern an incompetent owner/club president, but the power structure that allowed such a situation to arise in the first place. As is also tackled in this article, I think there is minimal hope for Milan to reach their sporting potential under the current regime, and that is something I feel even stronger about today. If I were to summarize Milan’s long-term situation, I would say they are thriving in almost every category, however the management is so profoundly poor in terms of sporting decisions that it’s hard to see the club achieve significant material success any time soon. There are two monumental issues with this management, which are the following: 1) squad-planning, 2) talent identification. The club’s lack of focus on young players despite a new vision that promised otherwise is a large focus of my most recent article, and as for why Milan are so poorly managed from a sporting standpoint, I really don’t think there is too much to say. The profiles of the players Milan are targeting, in contrast to the Moneyball project that was promised, are often completely mind-boggling, but aside from that, I think an even bigger issue is the squad-planning. It was something I complained about last summer, and I somehow think this summer is going to be even worse in that regard. In this article, I will briefly contrast the reported squad-planning ideas of Milan with my much more simple view on how Milan’s summer mercato should go. The best way of doing this is to go through the team position by position; detailing how Milan seem view the players in the position, whether or not they’re planning to reinforce the position, and how I would approach the position. First, I want to clarify my thoughts on the formation, however.
Speaking of commitment…
As the title of this article vaguely suggests, one of the main issues with Milan’s squad-planning—particularly when it comes to this summer—is their inability to commit to what they already have. I will go through this in greater detail later in the article, but it is already relevant as we’re set to discuss the formation, because even in this area it seems like Milan are unwilling to commit. Of course, formations are a bit of a touchy subject in modern football, as the increased popularity of positional play has put a greater emphasis on roles and tactical setup rather than formations, however I still think they are very much real and relevant as a baseline. In the case of Milan, they have recently hired Paulo Fonseca, who tends to set up with a “4–2–3–1”. Say what you want about roles, but this is not a good idea for Milan, and I will have to break this down in greater detail later on, however for starters I just think it’s relevant to emphasize that Milan actively made the choice of moving away from the 4–2–3–1 last summer. In fact, they went to great lengths to do so, as multiple players were sold and their midfield was almost entirely transformed compared to the previous season. However, over the following season, Stefano Pioli would return to the 4–2–3–1, despite his squad having been designed to essentially exclusively be suited towards a 4–3–3. Now Milan are perceived to have a squad that is perfect for a 4–2–3–1 setup, which is categorically false. Again, roles and setup are important aspects to focus on, but they are not extremely relevant when it comes to this discussion, because the issue is quite simple; Milan can’t reasonably play a 4–2–3–1 because they have a bunch of midfielders, but none of them stand out as a number 10, even if you define that term loosely. And really this shouldn’t be an issue. Ideally, Paulo Fonseca should be able to simply adapt to the squad he has, as he has in the past, and as any good manager should be able to do.
Goalkeeper
There is not much to discuss when it comes to Milan’s goalkeeper situation. I wouldn’t anticipate any change in this area after Zlatan Ibrahimović specifically said that Mike Maignan will not be sold this summer. The statement has been questioned since, particularly as he included Rafael Leão and, more notably, Theo Hernández in that same statement—the latter of which seems to have a more uncertain amidst interest from big clubs abroad and following a statement of his own in which he hardly confirmed Zlatan’s statement. However, I think it all comes down to one thing: contract situation. If Zlatan says Maignan is staying, as Maignan is awaiting a new, more lucrative contract, that tells me that Milan 100% intend to ultimately give him what he wants; as such, he will stay.
Right-back
The right-back situation at Milan is certainly a lot more interesting than the goalkeeper situation. At this point, it has not been confirmed that Milan will sign a right-back, but that it is one of the positions that they do want to reinforce this summer. That is probably a very stupid decision! First of all, Milan already have 3–5 right-backs, in Davide Calabria, Filippo Terracciano, Alessandro Florenzi, Álex Jiménez and Pierre Kalulu. Of course, the reason why a new right-back is being discussed is because Milan haven’t gotten what they want out of the position in recent seasons, but what that really means is that Davide Calabria and Alessandro Florenzi aren’t particularly good, which is not news to anyone. Ideally, both of them should be sold, but my issue here is that I do not think this will happen… at least not for Calabria. As for Alessandro Florenzi, he’s actually coming off of a shockingly good season when you look back at it, but he’s not quite good enough to warrant staying at the team when he’s 33 years old. It would be better for him to take on a new challenge somewhere else where he could be given a bigger role, and I do expect this to happen this summer, so make that one sale. Anyway, as for Calabria, there have been no reports of him potentially leaving this summer, and with a year left on his contract I’m sure there would be interest in him if there were a market for him, whichdoesn’t seem to be the case. So, assuming he stays, it should be obvious that it isn’t appropriate for Milan to invest heavily in a right-back this summer; whether you like it or not, Calabria is the captain of Milan, and is inevitably going to get significant playing time next season. Thus, all that is needed is an alternative option, and what confuses me is that Milan already have this: Filippo Terracciano. The idea of Terracciano being the alternative to Calabria next season is something a lot of people will whince at, but I really don’t think that’s rational. Sure, he’s completely unproven at Milan so far, but that’s hardly his fault. At Hellas Verona he certainly showed that he’s mature enough to start regularly in Serie A, and what confuses me the most is that you’d like to think Milan signed him for a reason, right? If Milan don’t believe that Terracciano is talented and that he can become a valuable long-term piece for this team, he shouldn’t have been signed in the first place. And indeed he is talented. Still raw perhaps, largely due to his lack of experience playing in a possession-based team at the senior level, but that would change this upcoming season, and Fonseca’s track record *would* bode very well for Terracciano’s development… if the latter actually projected to be the alternative option to Calabria this upcoming season. This is what I mean when I press on the importance of commitment; you can’t have players who fill no purpose for neither the short-term nor the long-term. In the case of Terracciano, I don’t expect this to quite be the case, as it seems like he will be the backup left-back this upcoming season, but I wouldn’t really call that commitment either. He has a purpose, sure, but you’re playing him in his secondary position as opposed to his primary position, and he’s unlikely to receive significant playing time behind Theo Hernández, which will further hinder his growth. To commit to Filippo Terracciano, you have to take his development seriously and give him reasonable playing time in the position you think suits him best for the long-term. If you don’t want to do that, you have to sell him. It’s as simple as that.
Alas, if Milan have to sign a right-back, I think the best and easiest choice is Tiago Santos, and I certainly wouldn’t consider signing Emerson Royal, who seems like the favored option by the manager. As for Emerson, his output isn’t actually terribly; as always he is highly involved defensively and a prolific ball-winner, and this past season he’s even stood out as an extremely efficient player with the ball, but the latter aspect is most definitely a matter of tactical context more so than a matter of ability. By now Emerson is 25 years old, and we know what he is: a full-back who is capable on the ball and a fringe threat going forward, but mainly someone who stands out for his athleticism and subsequent defensive impact, although he’s even a loose cannon in that area due to his aggressiveness. If that sounds like Davide Calabria to you, you’re not alone—Emerson might be marginally better than Calabria, but this would be a shocking lateral move that would not achieve anything. Even Tiago Santos is a signing that I am against—I’m not even certain he’s better than Terracciano, but there’s not much wrong with him as a player. Of course, he played under Fonseca at Lille last season, and while he has a lot to work on, he’s still yet to even turn 22 years old and he has some clear standout traits. On the ball he doesn’t have the press resistance, close control and overall efficiency that you’d wish for, but he is incredibly sharp and dangerous on it with his ability to carry it and take on defenders. Additionally, his output might undersell his attacking threat due to the general struggles of Lille last season, and while he’s not perfect I do think his movement and crossing are clear strengths of his, which the output doesn’t reflect just yet. Defensively, Santos is strong for his size, a firm 1v1 defender, and a very strong tackler, although his lack of size makes for some obvious limits. For a presumed price of €10m-€15m, he would be a great signing in a vacuum, but really I think that Terracciano has already shown a lot of what Santos has shown at the senior level. Opting to not sign a full-back will both save you money to invest elsewhere, and it will allow you to commit to Filippo Terracciano’s development, which should by all means be the priority.
Center-back
Center-back is another position Milan are set to invest in this summer, and while I think I also disagree with this decision, I am more open to the idea of another center-back being brought in. What I will say is this, however: I don’t think center-back is nearly as big of a squad issue as its made out to be. Milan had huge defensive issues last season, sure, but was that a center-back issue? I really don’t think so. That’s not to say that none of the center-backs ever made mistakes, but there are many things to point out here I think. First and foremost: Milan’s defensive issues were structural more than anything else. Stefano Pioli’s press was unbelievably disjoined and would notoriously leave monumental holes in midfield that left the backline completely exposed, and with an exposed backline comes defensive mistakes. In these instances it’s fair to criticize the players making the individual mistakes, but I really think this is counterproductive when you look at the bigger picture. Something I firmly believe is that Fikayo Tomori and Malick Thiaw is a completely fine primary center-back duo going into next season. As for Tomori especially, I think he’s the second best defender in the Serie A, and his reputation as a rash and inconsistent player is really only the by-product of tactical issues—and even then he has handled those issues exceptionally well, all things considered. The same cannot be said about Malick Thiaw, as he has been more defensively unreliable independent of the tactical issues, but it should be pointed out that he’s yet to turn 23 and it’s extremely hard to develop under the circumstances he’s had to deal with. Hopefully, he will be working in a more positive environment this upcoming season, and then a more definitive stance can be taken on him, depending on how he performs. I am aware of recent rumblings of a potential move to Newcastle for Thiaw, but we are seemingly still at a very early stage, and in regards to him I have made my stance clear: he should stay.
As for the rest of the center-backs, I am more understanding of the skepticism, but I am still more positive than most. With Simon Kjær having departed the club, it may seem like a new center-back is warranted just for that, but I really don’t think so. In fact, if it were up to me, I would actively try to move on from Pierre Kalulu and still not invest in the position. As for Kalulu, I was previously a huge fan of him, but his injuries are a huge concern, which is not to mention that he’s a highly flawed center-back due to his positional awareness and aerial ability (or lack thereof). In a different environment I’m sure things would have been different, but at this point I don’t see too much reason to keep Kalulu, especially as there seems to be a market for him. Speaking of injuries, I think this is an important point in regards to the center-back position. It is a major factor which led to many names being given a chance in the position last season, and I can only assume that this factor will not be present to the same extent this upcoming season. Stefano Pioli’s medical team has always carried substantial injury issues with it, and while the same accusation has been made towards Paulo Fonseca, this was only an issue at Roma, at a time when he didn’t have his own medical staff. The issue should be addressed, with Gerry Cardinale having expressed unhappiness towards it, and this means center-back depth should be a less significant factor next season. Thus, the question of how good of a duo Thiaw-Tomori becomes more significant. If you ask me, the duo is undoubtedly good enough. I can’t promise perfection, but I do think they are worthy of my chance, and I suppose that’s my stance towards the upcoming season as a whole: It’s not necessarily about maximizing results, as it is hard to assess the squad given the awful conditions to succeed they were given by Pioli, and thus many players still need another season to show how good they really are. Quite frankly, I don’t think a push for the scudetto is particularly realistic anyway. So, as for the other center-backs, I think Matteo Gabbia and Jan-Carlo Simić works out just fine. This is not the stance of the management, who are presumably looking to develop Simić in the new Milan Futuro team, and subsequently adding a center-back who can compete with Tomori and Thiaw. It’s not a terrible approach, but with Paulo Fonseca having arrived and there having been rumors of Simić potentially looking to leave if he can’t get first team football, I think you give him a chance. How good is he? I guess we’ll see—I really don’t think it’s a huge risk to take. In another country, giving a highly talented 19-year old center-back who has garnered international interest a chance in the first team is typically not seen as bold at all, but that is notoriously not the case in Italy. But again, I think Fonseca at least *should* have been brought in for one primary reason: to develop players of all ages and integrate prospects from the Primavera. Apart from Simić being a cool and calm defender in and out of possession, with excellent physical traits and great technique, I think what we know about him off the pitch is just as indicative of him being prepared for first team football. Many have sung Simić’s praises for his maturity, leadership and work ethic, and for me it’s hard to understand how Milan can be expected to be taken seriously as a club that supposedly tries to be progressive and focus on youth development, if they leave Simić in the second team.
What I do think is a fair approach, is for Milan to consider bringing in a center-back towards the end of the mercato, on the condition that Simić hasn’t proven his worth in pre-season. If he isn’t ready, he isn’t ready, and if that were to be abundant by late July/August, then I wouldn’t be afraid to integrate him into the second team, with the plan of promoting him to the first team when he’s shown that he’s ready. The one reason why I do think it could be appropriate to bring in a new center-back is that the one alternative option to Thiaw and Tomori would be a Primavera player, and the other alternative would be a player with limited success at the senior, and an unspectacular peak at that—Matteo Gabbia. I like Gabbia based on how he has performed since his return to the club in January, but due to the limited sample size and his previous struggles, there is reason to be skeptical. He’s still not the most quick or athletic center-back, but has rather stood out for his strength, positional awareness and defensive fundamentals, in recent months. Additionally, he is not a game-changer in possession, but he is rather composed and technically secure, which makes a difference. He’s not the most exciting player as he turns 25 this Fall, has a low ceiling, and has not shown enough to convince people of his ability, but on that end I am an exception. Indeed he is not a player with a high ceiling, and he likely won’t be more than a depth option long-term, but I do think he is a very good depth option, and I believe in what I’ve seen from Gabbia in recent months. Most notably, he stands out as the most natural and complete defender at the club—a defensively secure option, somehow. I do by all means think Tomori is a better defender, but while I think his supposed proneness to mistakes is way overblown, it is true that his positional awareness and aerial ability are questionable. As for Gabbia, he doesn’t have the game-breaking defensive traits that Tomori has, but he is more positionally aware, he is very fundamentally sound, and most importantly he’s a stronger box defender—by far the strongest one at the club. I think such a profile is valuable, and if I had to complement him, Tomori and Thiaw with another defender, I think a highly enticing Primavera prospect who’s ready to take a decisive step is an appropriate choice.
Nonetheless, if Milan are to sign a center-back, my personal choice would depend on the budget. Part of the reason why I’d prefer Milan avoid signing a center-back this summer is because it’s just smarter to wait until next summer; as mentioned you will have more knowledge on how big of a need it is than you do now, and on top of that the market should be stronger while Milan should also have a greater budget to invest in the position. That is to say, I’m assuming Milan are not going to be able to make a premium investment in the position this summer. With that being the case, I think Jakub Kiwior is my favorite choice. Admittedly, he is not a player who I have an incredibly strong opinion, which shouldn’t come as a surprise—even at 24 years old, Kiwior is someone who has mostly stood out in glimpses. At Spezia, he was only able to show glimpses due to the short time he spent at the club as well as the fact that they were a relegation-battling team. Then, at Arsenal, he has only been able to show glimpses due to restricted playing time and his usage out of his primary position. Kiwior is by all means a capable left-back, but his performances in the position further emphasize why a transfer this summer is likely; Arsenal may like Kiwior and have a good bit of leverage in any given negotiation, given his contract expires in four years, but if he wants to have a real career breakout, he should probably leave Arsenal, whereas Arsenal can upgrade on him as well. For me, it’s particularly hard to profile Kiwior based on what I’ve seen from him in the last two years, but I think his rawer traits alone justify him as a signing for a club like Milan. He’s not always the most gracious footballer, nor is he incredibly quick, and that’s really why he hasn’t gone above and beyond when he’s played at left-back, but he does play with a combination of power and control that is highly intriguing. At 1.89 m, he’s a tall player who is strong in aerial duels and excellent at box defending. He’s shown many signs of great positional awareness and anticipation, and really it’s in possession where he’s more of an enigma. There are signs of fantastic passing range, good ball-carrying and great close control, but he is not always consistent nor has he been able to display his full qualities over a greater sample size. Put him in a good environment and play him in his natural position, and I think he will be unleashed at last. But, with that being said, my preference is for Milan to wait until next summer to address this issue—IF needed.
Left-back
As mentioned, not only is Mike Maignan’s future in some doubt, but Theo Hernández’s is even more so. It does seem likely that whichever club won’t have Alphonso Davies next season, between Bayern München and Real Madrid, will make an attempt to sign Theo Hernández. Either club will of course by enticing to Theo, but I also think that he’s completely open to staying at Milan, as long as he’s given a more lucrative contract. And, again, with Zlatan having gone out of his way to say that neither Maignan nor Theo are leaving, I am assuming that part of the money that will be invested in the coming months will be invested in these respective contract extensions. In a summer in which the squad doesn’t need significant reinforcement, I certainly think that’s a good way to use the resources available—generally speaking, I also think it’s about time for Milan to take advantage of their financial situation, particularly in terms of the wages they give out.
As for the backup left-back role, I think it’s an interesting case that can be compared to Arsenal’s right wing situation. In Arsenal’s case, Bukayo Saka is unequivocally one of their best players, and his consistent availability is a huge asset to them, however it has become increasingly clear that Arsenal are overexploiting this asset. Saka’s massive workload is not only a concern for his level of performances, but also for his physical state long-term, due to his age. On the other hand, identifying the right backup to Saka is not simple, because it can be hard to identify a talented player who will be willing to be a backup just in general, but especially so when the player is a designated backup to a player who is available to start almost every week. The same applies to Theo Hernández—perhaps even more so, as the left-back market is dry, and the most talented players on it will hardly be willing to serve as a backup to a player who is constantly available. Still, a solution is needed for Milan just as it is for Arsenal; Milan need a left-back who can legitimately make a difference, thereby allowing them to rest Theo Hernández more. It is a role that has been sought for a few years now, and in the end I think Milan both should– and will conclude that they have their solution at home. However, as for who this solution is, I think we disagree; the club seems to view Filippo Terracciano as the backup left-back, whereas I think it should be Álex Jiménez. Both of them are right-footed who are perhaps better on the right side than on the left side, but in Jiménez’s case, I think it’s particularly debatable. In regards to him, I think it’s worth addressing the elephant in the room, which is that Real Madrid have a very cheap releause clause that makes it highly unlikely Milan will be able to retain him if he actually develops into a good player. That is why I am no longer intrigued by the idea of Theo Hernández grooming Jiménez into his long-term replacement; if he’s good enough, then he won’t be Theo’s replacement anyway. In any case, Jiménez is a fantastic prospect with similar characteristics to Theo, and I think he’s ready to take on a role in the first team next season. Most likely, he will play in the second team while Terracciano serves as the backup left-back, but in regards to Terracciano as well, I think my stance is clear.
Defensive/holding midfield
As mentioned, I think one argument for why neither a right-back nor center-back should be signed, is that it allows Milan to invest more in more pressing areas, and holding midfield is by all means such an area. Especially with Milan having moved away from the 4–3–3—which matters in terms of the current personnel rather than whatever the setup will be next season—the need for a holding midfielder with strong defensive characteristics is massive. Milan have lacked a defensive midfielder aside from Ismaël Bennacer for a while now, and while the need for another defensive midfielder used to be predicated on Bennacer’s lack of availability, it is now perhaps more so predicated on his uncertain physical status, following the long-term injury he had last year. Since his recovery, Bennacer hasn’t looked the same, and by all means that doesn’t mean that he has been permanently damaged by the injury—for starters, he looked somewhat out of shape last season, and additionally it is just generally quite hard to immediately return to 100% after a long injury, especially in such a chaotic team. Still, there is a risk that Bennacer has regressed indefinitely, which makes defensive midfield perhaps the most important area for Milan to address this summer.
For now, it is not entirely easy to foresee who Milan will look to sign for this role. A name that has been brought up a lot is Youssouf Fofana, and recently there have been claims that he is quite close to signing for Milan, but the top sources maintain that he is nothing but a player Milan are interested in. As for my opinion on Fofana as an option for Milan, I think they should stay away, with all due respect to Fofana, who is very talented. At best, I think Fofana can serve a Kessié-esque role in a double pivot, with a weaker defensive impact on the other hand. By all means, Fofana is capable defensively, but I strongly believe that he is not the kind of defensive anchor and leader that Milan ideally need. He best suits a double pivot, complemented by a player with similar characteristics to a healthy Bennacer, or otherwise an even more advanced role that allows him to exploit his skills as a creator and progressor. He is not the solution to Milan’s defensive midfield problem. Instead, there are two different names that have been linked to Milan by top sources that I strongly prefer. The more realistic option of the two is Mats Wieffer from Feyenoord. By all means, he fits Milan’s ideal profile of a deep-lying midfielder who combines tremendous defensive impact with technical ability. Among midfielders in the top 6–14 leagues, he ranks in the 90th percentile for tackles per 90, the 83rd percentile for percentage of dribblers tackled, the 93rd percentile for interceptions per 90, the 99th percentile for blocks per 90, the 99th percentile for aerial duels won per 90, and the 90th percentile for aerial duel win rate (via FBref). He also brings a lot in possession, but it should be noted that he’s not exactly a press-resistant, tempo-setting regista. He is a player who excels in all kinds of progressive actions, and ideally he should be complemented with a player who is more technically secure. Sure enough, Wieffer’s compatriot Tijjani Reijnders would be a perfect midfield partner for him for this reason. On top of all of this, Wieffer’s final third impact should also be remarked, but I imagine it is not something we would see too much of at Milan, as it has largely conditioned by Feyenoord’s highly aggressive style of play in the Eredivisie—from an output standpoint, that is.
The other, seemingly more luxurious option is André Trindade from Fluminense. It’s hard to gauge how much he would be worth, because top clubs like Barça, PSG, Liverpool and Manchester United have been interested in the past year, but their chances one of them signs André this summer seem slim. With that being the case, Milan’s chances chances of signing him might simply depend on how much Fluminense are demanding, and how much Milan are willing to pay. If it came down to me, I would be willing to break the bank and spend a record-breaking transfer fee on André, if necessary. Milan need a player who excels both in and out of possession, and André is probably the dream option. He isn’t the bloodthirsty duel-winner that Wieffer is, but he’s incredibly positionally aware, fundamentally sound, and very strong for his size. More importantly, it is in possession where André stands out the most. He is both extremely press-resistant and highly capable of progressing play when necessary. A textbook regista, who, at almost 23 years old, is certainly ready to dominate at the highest level, if he wants to. If the asking price is in the region of €50m, or even below, I think Milan should do everything they can to sign him.
Interior midfield
In terms of interior midfield, I really don’t think there is much to address. The trio that Milan signed last summer, of Tijjani Reijnders, Yunus Musah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, best suits a 4–3–3 by design, and that is why I think Milan should avoid switching to a 4–2–3–1 next season. I think Yunus Musah could have a huge breakout season if given a chance by Fonseca, so he would be my designated starter next to Reijnders. I also think that Loftus-Cheek would have a bounceback season under Fonseca, if he were to be played in more of a natural midfield role, rather than the raumdeuter-inspired role that he took on last season. Three reliable interiors should nearly be enough, but I think a fourth fringe choice would be appropriate as well. We can begin by exploring the internal options. First of all, there’s Kevin Zeroli, the captain of the Primavera. In his case, I actually agree with Milan’s choice of promoting him to the second team. I still think he has a lot to work on, particularly in possession, and I think it’s best he continues to develop away from the first team. Then, there’s Tommaso Pobega, who should uncontroversially be sold this summer, and I am mostly just bringing him up to address that. Finally, I think Yacine Adli is an interesting option, but even though I have previously been a big fan of Adli, I have serious concerns about his ability to play at this level, as I think his physical profile and the way he uses his body give him a pretty low ceiling. I don’t exclude the possibility that Fonseca could fix these issues and that Adli could be revitalized next season, but I think the idea of signing a new, young midfielder is more enticing. That midfielder originally seemed like it could be Assan Ouédraogo, but after he preferred to stay in Germany as well, Carney Chukwuemeka seems like a natural alternative. Sure enough, links between Milan and Chukwuemeka have begun spreading, and it is no surprise as it isn’t the first time—in fact Chelsea originally beat Milan to Chukwuemeka’s signature in 2022. About two years later, it’s not hard to believe that Chelsea just don’t have space for Chukwuemeka, and that they’d prefer to cash in on him as soon as possible. If that is the case, Chukwuemeka is a perfect alternative to Ouédraogo for Milan. Indeed, the two are highly similar players; tall, advanced interior midfielders with exceptional technical ability for their size, and tons of upside as a final third threat. It’s hard to deny that Chukwuemeka’s development has largely been wasted at Chelsea, but I think a lot of people are failing to realize just how good of a talent he really used to be, and meanwhile it’s not as though his career is over now. Chukwuemeka is still only 20 years old and has all the chances to become an amazing midfielder. For me, it is precisely that unique Pogba-esque profile that makes Chukwuemeka so special, and also makes me believe that he can grow into a fantastic midfielder. He has an incredibly special physical profile, all whilst being such a gifted player on the ball, and such players don’t grow on trees. Reportedly, Milan are interested in signing Chukwuemeka on a loan with option to buy, and as far as I’m concerned, the format of the deal does not matter as long as the fee isn’t significantly higher than €20m. Perhaps Chukwuemeka deserves to be more than a fourth choice midfielder, but I think he could quickly grow into much more than that. Do Milan have space for that, thoguh? Well, I certainly think Loftus-Cheek was mainly a stopgap, and as much as I like Musah, I don’t believe his ceiling is too high for him to ever be a rotational piece. Ideally, Chukwuemeka would be the long-term replacement for Loftus-Cheek, which would give Milan an interior midfield trio of Reijnders, Musah and Chukwuemeka—that, to me, is special. With this deal, Milan can kill two birds with one stone, by adding a hugely valuable long-term piece and addressing a minor short-term issue at the same time—after all, the need for a fourth midfielder isn’t huge, and could even be superfluous, but having that extra security is nice.
Right & left wing
There is not much to comment on here. The quartet of Rafael Leão, Noah Okafor, Samuel Chukwueze and Christian Pulisic gives Milan a lot of security on both wings, and no changes are needed. If anything, I would just like to see Chukwueze start over Christian Pulisic next season. Beyond that, Milan have two younger wing talents in Chaka Traoré and Luka Romero. Milan seem to have decided that the former will develop in the second team this upcoming season, while the latter will be loaned out, preferably to a Spanish team, and I agree with their stance.
Striker
You know what? I don’t even feel like there is much to say in regards to Milan’s striker situation. Of course, a striker is needed this summer, and it is an issue that demands a lot of attention from the management, but I don’t really have a strong opinion on who Milan should sign, as the striker market is unfortunately quite weak at the moment. Milan’s choice is, as we all know, Joshua Zirkzee, and they are only details away from completing that signing, but, paperwork aside, those details entail huge commissions demanded from Zirkzee’s agent. As outrageous as they may be, I would simply pay him, and then move on. I have expressed mixed feelings with Zirkzee’s game on multiple occasions, and I still believe that he isn’t nearly as special of a player as he’s made out to be, in fact he would be an overpay by Milan if they were to land him, but he’s quite easily the best fit on the market. Milan have desperately lacked a striker who can combine with teammates and contribute in buildup for a long time, and Zirkzee gives you this and a lot more. Zirkzee is a player who transcends being a striker who’s good on the ball, and gives you a level of possession-based contribution that is matched by extremely few. He’s incredibly technically secure, his positional awareness is excellent, he’s a great progressor in buildup, and his x-factor is his creativity, which should combine incredibly well with Milan’s wingers—all of which have high potential as off-ball threats. Zirkzee’s goal-scoring is a question mark, and sure enough that is his big flaw. His final third productivity should be set to improve at Milan, with better attacking players around him and perhaps a more advanced role, but his ceiling in this area still remains low. Nonetheless, he is the kind of striker Milan need, and I think it’s about time they seal the deal. Oh, and Milan also signed Luka Jović to a contract extension, meaning he will remain as the backup, and while I don’t think he’s a great fit for Milan, he is a fine backup and I don’t think it would be wise for Milan to invest meaningful resources in this role this summer.
My ideal depth chart for Milan next season:
My compromised depth chart for Milan next season:
Conclusion
I have to be transparent: this article largely felt like a chore, because I have more or less regurgitated these points countless of times, but not in a manner that is this organized. If I were to add something to what has already been written in this article, I would begin by addressing the feasability of my idealized mercato. In case André Trindade costs upwards of €60m, it would be difficult for Milan to also sign Zirkzee and Chukwuemeka, and then extend Maignan and Theo’s respective contracts on top of that. However, I do think Milan will have quite a lot of resources to work with this summer, for a number of reasons. First of all, Giroud, Kjær, Caldara and Mirante are all off the wage bill, which does make a difference, and on top of that, Alessandro Florenzi should be sould—not for much, but his wages are currently shockingly high, so getting him off the payroll will open up new space as well. Then, Alexis Saelemaekers, Daniel Maldini, Fodé Ballo-Touré, Divock Origi, Rade Krunić, Charles De Ketelaere, Lorenzo Colombo, Tommaso Pobega, Pierre Kalulu and Yacine Adli are all players who have already been sold, or are likely to be sold this upcoming summer. If all of these players would be sold, it would be Milan’s most profitable summer in a long time—yes, probably more profitable than last summer, despite the absence of a big sale. With this in mind, I think Milan should be able to afford Zirkzee (despite the high commissions), Chukwuemeka (preferably on a loan with obligation to buy), André, and the respective contract extensions of Theo Hernández and Mike Maignan. Beyond this, I want to clarify that this is my idealized point of view, and that Milan’s mercato, in reality, will likely be far different. The new management clearly struggles with talent identification, for one, but even more importantly, the squad-planning is atrocious. Ideally, next season should be about committing to the players who Milan already have, and assessing them in a new, more healthy environment, but the management has other ideas. Anyway, if I were in charge, these would be my choices, and the purpose of this article is to put my thoughts on record in a more organized manner. There are no poetic elements to this article, and it also doesn’t get a poetic end, because this club has left me jaded and uninspired.
