While a lot of the attention surrounding AC Milan’s summer window will be about the players that arrive to strengthen the squad, some assessments will need to be made on the current players.
La Gazzetta dello Sport confirms that there will be at least four signings made this summer: a central defender, a right back, a defensive midfielder and a centre-forward. However, in order to free up lockers at Milanello some will need to be emptied.
A lot depends on who will arrive as the new head coach and that means the situations connected to several players remains quite fluid, as is normal for mid-May, but there are already some certainties. The paper has broken things down by department.
Goalkeepers
Mike Maignan’s situation is delicate. At the moment there are no real ‘alerts’ about his farewell, but two important reflections emerge.
The first is that the Frenchman has great ambitions for growth and above all a hunger for victories, in the sense of winning trophies. The second is that the negotiation table for the renewal is in a stalemate because there is a big gap between the offer and the demands.
Maignan’s performance levels this year have dropped, a factor to which is added a certain physical frailty. If someone comes knocking with a reasonable offer – Milan want €100m, an objectively exaggerated figure – Maignan would say goodbye. A replacement would then be signed.
Marco Sportiello will still remain as the back-up goalkeeper, Antonio Mirante (on an expiring contract) will leave, and it is possible that the third choice could be Lapo Nava.
Defence
The defensive department this season has been the Rossoneri’s Achilles’ heel. Compared to the Scudetto season, they have all dropped, some even drastic.
The reasoning made for Maignan therefore applies: in the event of offers that are up to par it will be a case of thank you and goodbye. The first name to combine with this reasoning is Pierre Kalulu, the second is Malick Thiaw.
Fikayo Tomori, on the other hand, is considered one of those to build around as well as Matteo Gabbia who has enjoyed a very positive second part of the season with the Rossoneri. Simon Kjaer and Mattia Caldara will leave when their deals expire.
Pay attention to Theo Hernandez. Of the three big names in the squad – the other two being Maignan and Leao – he seems to be the most likely to say goodbye in the event of a huge bid. Davide Calabria and Alessandro Florenzi will stay.
Midfield
There are two pillars to start from: Tijjani Reijnders and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. They won’t budge, and the same will most likely happen for Ismael Bennacer and Yunus Musah, who has plenty of room for improvement.
The situation of Tommaso Pobega and above all of Yacine Adli must be evaluated. The latter has been used more but has not totally convinced.
Attack
Olivier Giroud will leave a gap that will be filled by a new centre-forward. The chances of Luka Jovic’s stay, which have been fluctuating throughout the season, now seem to be leaning more towards positive.
Christian Pulisic is part of the small group of untouchables, but Samuel Chukwueze and Noah Okafor will also continue to work at Milanello.
Rafael Leao currently appears to be the most likely to stay out of the ‘big three’ mentioned earlier. Partly because his growth is far from being completed, but also partly because his €175m clause doesn’t correspond to the season he has had.
