Scouting AC Milan Transfer Target Piotr Zielinski

The future of AC Milan’s ownership remains unresolved. Discussions between club president Silvio Berlusconi and a Chinese consortium are ongoing, though it appears that a deal involving 100 percent of the Rossoneri’s shares could be agreed by next week.

A takeover could well lead to fresh investment in the playing squad, something that appears necessary given the club’s paucity of additions thus far in the summer transfer window. Only Leonel Vangioni and Gianluca Lapadula have arrived, and the former was a free transfer.

Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

Udinese’s Piotr Zielinski may become Milan’s third signature of the season, with Calciomercato reporting the Pole tops Vincenzo Montella’s midfield wish-list.

The new coach is happy with the way things have gone since he took over on 28 June, telling Sky Sports Italia (h/t Football Italia):

"

We're working well. There's a lot to be done, but I'm pleased with this initial phase of training. The lads are hungry for a comeback after a period in which things didn't go well. Many of them expressed themselves at a level that is below their potential, so everyone must understand where and how they can improve. To win games you must control them, and control play. This is how you increase your odds of winning. I'm convinced that ugly football lowers your odds of winning.

"

And, with prestige pre-season friendlies against Bayern Munich and Liverpool coming up next week, Montella also discussed his hopes for the remainder of the transfer window, saying: “As for the market, we all know that the squad must be completed. Now it comes down to (joint-CEO Adriano) Galliani and the club, who will act according to what's on offer on the market as well as the club's economic resources.”

Previously it was believed that Zielinski would be joining Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, something only fuelled by his appearance in a Reds jersey with his name on the back while still on loan at Empoli in May.

However, this no longer seems to be the case.

The English side brought in Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum from Newcastle for a £25 million fee on Friday, with La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t James Cambridge of the Daily Express) suggesting this to be confirmation that any move for Zielinski was no longer on the cards.

When asked about where his client was headed this summer, the player’s agent Bartolomej Bolek told La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Claire Corkery of Sky Sports) that, “We’ve decided, but it’s a secret.”

With Liverpool supposedly pulling out, Milan appear to be frontrunners in the race to sign Zielinski. And, if they can strike a deal for the player, the 22-year-old would become the Diavolo’s most important signing of the season so far.

2015-16 was a breakout campaign for the Polish international, who has been capped 16 times by his country. It was his second successive term on loan at Empoli and, after a disappointing first year with the Tuscan club, he developed into one of the brightest youngsters in Serie A under the auspices of Marco Giampaolo.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

The 48-year-old Swiss coach replaced Maurizio Sarri in the Stadio Carlo Castellani dugout last summer and oversaw an improvement in the team’s results, guiding them to an excellent 10th-place finish. Zielinski was integral to the achievement, scoring five times and setting up four goals for his team-mates in 35 Serie A outings.

If Milan weren’t aware of him beforehand, he certainly left an impression on them when they met Empoli on 23 January. He scored in a 2-2 draw, finishing a move he had started with an intelligent scan of the pitch and a clever pass, before picking up WhoScored.com’s man of the match award for his overall performance in the game.

Montella’s arrival as Rossoneri head coach is expected to coincide with a change in the team’s playing style. During his successful three-year spell with Fiorentina he instigated beautiful, short-passing, possession-based football, and there are already signs that his methods are being taken on board by his new charges.

Milan opened pre-season with a trip to France to play Bordeaux. They won 2-1 thanks to a pair of goals from Spanish winger Suso, though what most intrigued were two specific aspects of the team’s overall play. One was their approach to building moves, starting from defence and working their way patiently into the middle third; another was their speed in transitions to defence, where they applied good pressure on their opposition.

If there was one criticism of the performance, it was that Montella’s side failed to break the lines enough and create in the final third, struggling with Bordeaux’s deep defensive block. Zielinski could help in this particular respect, as well as fitting nicely into the overarching setup and style.

A dynamic central midfielder with a relentless streak, he is also a highly intelligent player on the ball. He shows both good awareness of his own positioning and of how to manipulate the space around him, traits which—along with his pace and directness—make him an effective dribbler. Indeed, in Serie A last season only four players—Franco Vazquez, Bruno Peres, Paul Pogba and Paulo Dybala—beat their opposite man more often than he did, per WhoScored.

Along with his ability to carry the ball effectively into the final third, Zielinski is an astute and imaginative passer. Consequently, he poses a threat both when running at a defence and when looking to combine with team-mates.

While it is perhaps his attacking qualities that attract most attention, he is also an admirable performer in the defensive phase. Considering he was initially thought of as a trequartista when breaking into Udinese's first team squad, this may come as a surprise. But, ultimately, it is his play without the ball that arguably sets him apart from the average midfield creator.

Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

Out of Empoli’s regular first team players last season, only Leandro Paredes completed more tackles on average than Zielinski’s two per game, according to WhoScored. And, along with that ball-winning ability, he is quick to get back into position and dogged when harrying his opponent, ensuring he provides good defensive coverage and balance in midfield.

In terms of his position, he thrived on the right side of a diamond under Giampaolo at Empoli. In this role, he spent the majority of his time in a central area with the intention of advancing through the middle, though he occasionally fanned out wide in order to create space and passing options for team-mates.

Montella played a rough 4-3-3 shape against Bordeaux and this could well be the basic formation he looks to play going forward. In this setup, Zielinski could be ideal for the right-sided midfield berth.

Andrea Bertolacci was utilised as a regista in the friendly win, a position he adapted fairly well to. Meanwhile, Giacomo Bonaventura was used as the left-sided midfielder, though he often offered central support to the line striker when without possession.

Montella’s existing options for the right-sided central midfield role are not particularly inspiring. Riccardo Montolivo lacks pace and endured a poor season in 2015-16, while Juraj Kucka brings penetrative qualities and endless stamina but is found wanting technically.

Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Zielinski’s combination of effective dribbling, creativity, intelligence and defensive work would make him a far more complete option and would potentially help to fill a gap between the deeper-lying Bertolacci and the more forward-thinking Bonaventura in midfield.

Gianluca Di Marzio (h/t Football Italia) reported that Milan have agreed on a transfer fee of between €18 and €19 million including add-ons with Udinese. For that price, he could prove a bargain.

Zielinski would add value to the Rossoneri starting lineup for years to come, suits Montella’s preferred style of play and would fill an important hole in the first team. He is the sort of signing Milanisti have been waiting for.