A Dream Summer Transfer Window Shopping List for AC Milan
AC Milan are struggling big-time.
The biggest reason for those struggles? A talent drop-off that has left the roster a shell of what is was in the glory days under Fabio Capello and Carlo Ancelotti. The problems on the field date back to 2010, when owner Silvio Berlusconi's daughter Marina—chairperson of Fininvest, the holding company that manages the Berlusconi family holdings—slashed the team's transfer budget.
Unless Marina has a change of heart or the team is sold, the budget constraints will likely continue. Football Italia relayed a report from La Repubblica on Tuesday that Thai billionaire Bee Taechaubol has made a serious approach, but the club has repeatedly denied talk of a takeover.
But what would Milan need to cover their roster deficiencies and propel themselves back to their customary position in the upper reaches of the table?
That's what we'll be examining here today. For the purposes of this exercise, we will assume that the team will have the budget to attack their roster deficiencies head-on and fix them with the best players available.
We'll be looking at the defense, the midfield and goalkeeper, the three phases of the game in which Milan is most in need of upgrade. Their attacking players are likely adequate, provided the Rossoneri exercise their option to purchase Roma loanee Mattia Destro. As a final rule for our exercise, only one player per area will be purchased.
Now, let's enter our dream world and see just what Milan's absolute ideal transfer window might be.
Goalkeeper
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Diego Lopez has been one of the few Milan players whose performance has been worthy of his shirt.
His stellar performances in goal have, like those of Samir Handanovic for crosstown rivals Inter during their down period two seasons ago, saved the team from further embarrassment. For instance, several stellar saves against Juventus two weeks ago kept the scoreline from being quite a big uglier than 3-1.
While Lopez has been one of Milan's few truly positive signings in the last few years, at 33 years old, he's not a long-term solution in goal.
In an ideal world, the option for a long-term goalkeeper is Genoa's Mattia Perin.
Perin is the best of a promising generation of Italian goalkeepers that include Francesco Bardi (Inter, currently on loan at Chievo), Nicola Leali (Juventus, on loan at Cesena) and Simone Scuffet (Udinese). He broke onto the scene with a fantastic season on loan at Pescara in 2012-13. In the season-and-a-half that he has been back at Genoa, the Grifone have gone from perennial relegation struggles to potential challenges for places in European competition.
Only 22 years old and the favorite to succeed Gianluigi Buffon as the starting keeper for the national team, Perin would cost any club a massive amount of money. No keeper has ever come close to equalling the record sum Juventus paid for Buffon in 2001—roughly €40.29 million—but given Perin's skill, he will likely command something close when Genoa finally decide it is time to part with him.
This is truly a dream solution for Milan. In all likelihood they're going to ride Lopez as long as they can until they can afford a good young keeper or young Brazilian Gabriel proves himself worthy of the spot.
Defense
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The back line is the team's biggest weakness. Since the sale of Thiago Silva in 2012, Milan's defense has been unreliable at best and downright bad at worst.
Truly excellent defenders are hard to find on the transfer market. In a dream world, one would be tempted to go after Borussia Dortmund center-back Mats Hummels. In this writer's opinion, Hummels is a good defensive player but somewhat overrated.
Hummels isn't good at covering ground over short distances and is prone to mental lapses. His leadership skills have been questioned after he left the field without saluting the fans after a loss to Hertha Berlin. It also raises the question as to why it took Sebastian Kehl to give the team a rousing pep talk before a December match against Hoffenheim.
It will also be difficult to beat out the sustained pressure from Manchester United. Hummels has been linked with the Red Devils for the better part of a year. Even on deadline day, Aaron Flanagan of the Daily Mirror reported rumors that a swoop was in the offing.
Instead, Milan should focus on a less expensive and more available alternative that would still represent a major upgrade in the heart of their defensive line.
Two years ago, Angelo Ogbonna moved to Juventus from Torino. Years before that he had caught the interest of several top teams, including Milan, according to Goal.com.
It took Ogbonna a long time to settle in at Juve. He hasn't received much playing time behind Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. Martin Caceres was generally preferred to him in a three-man line as well. The switch from a three-man back line to a four-man hasn't helped his chances of seeing the field.
While his performance greatly improved this year when injuries to Barzagli and Caceres put Massimiliano Allegri in a selection crunch, he's still been prone to lapses. He started two of Juve's most disappointing games this season—a 1-1 draw against Sampdoria and a 2-2 draw at Cesena.
The imminent return of Daniele Rugani—Italy's best young center-back prospect—will further dent Ogbonna's chances of cracking the lineup. His best option to get playing time may be a move—and no one is as desperate for defensive help as Milan.
Transfermarkt.com currently rates Ogbonna's transfer value at a more-than-reasonable €10 million. Given Juve's glut of center-backs, they may even be amenable to negotiating down. He's a talented player who could turn out to be a bargain and would significantly improve the team's defense.
It's a reasonable option for the Rossoneri, with either a dream budget or their current one.
Midfield
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Real Madrid have a tendency to hoard players, especially in the midfield.
Sami Khedira was a major player in the Madrid midfield in years past, but injuries have seen him lose playing time. Isco and James Rodriguez take much of the minutes he used to get. According to WhoScored.com, the German international has played just 296 minutes in La Liga this year and only 16 in the Champions League.
Khedira is ever so gently being pushed out of his club, but a player like him deserves starter's minutes. Milan have a good relationship with Los Blancos and a severe need for quality center-mids. Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari simply aren't cutting it anymore.
If Milan were to ever put faith in Riccardo Saponara, a midfield partnership with Khedira could be fruitful, with Khedira roaming deeper in midfield while Saponara plays an advanced role to link to the attack.
Khedira is hungry for playing time, and Milan badly need a midfield upgrade. Transfermarkt currently rates him at €25 million, so unless the team can invoke his injury to lower the price, this would not be a cheap buy—perfect for our dream world.
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