AC Milan's Pursuit of Ciro Immobile Could Reunite Successful Strike Pair

On Wednesday, Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia) reported that AC Milan had joined several Serie A teams in the race for Ciro Immobile.  It's a move that frankly makes a ton of sense and could very well revitalize Milan's flagging forward line—provided the team makes the correct tactical moves.

Immobile has long been considered an up-and-coming striking prospect.  He was a Juventus property until a year ago.  After claiming the capocannoniere title in the 2013-14 season, he moved to Borussia Dortmund in a move that saw Juve claim €8 million from co-owners Torino.

He was considered a perfect fit for Jurgen Klopp's tactical setup, but he's floundered in his first season with the German giants.  He's only scored 10 times this year—three times in the Bundesliga, four in the Champions League and another three in the DFB Pokal.  He hasn't scored at all since a March 3 brace in a Pokal game at third-division Dynamo Dresden.

His struggles—and the imminent departure of Klopp for greener pastures this summer—suggest that a move from Signal Iduna Park is likely this summer.  Britain's Telegraph suggested last month that Liverpool could be eyeing him to replace another struggling Italy international, Mario Balotelli.

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Another mooted destination is Napoli.  Immobile's agent, Marco Sommella, told Radio CRC (h/t Football Italia) that the player remains a fan of his native city's club, and if Gonzalo Higuain were to leave this summer, the Partenopei would need a replacement.  Such a move would also take substantial pressure off Lorenzo Insigne, who as the team's lone Neapolitan is often singled out for criticism by fans when he or the team struggle.

A third option that has been coming up since Immobile's struggles really began in earnest after the winter break is to come to Milan.  

With Giampaolo Pazzini's contract expired and the option to make Mattia Destro's loan permanent unlikely to be exercised, the Rossoneri will be needing reinforcements in attack.  Immobile has proven he can succeed in Serie A, and given the drop in his value, Dortmund could agree to a loan with an option to buy him next season.

Milan has one other thing that could make a move to Milan enticing for Immobile: Alessio Cerci.

Last year at Torino, Immobile and Cerci developed into the most prolific strike pair the Granata have seen since Paolo Pulici and Francesco Graziani led them to their last Scudetto 38 years ago.  Immobile and Cerci combined for 35 goals and 13 assists in 2013/14, helping Torino to their highest league finish (seventh) since the 1990s.

If they're combined correctly, Milan could recreate that chemistry and have an attack that could give opposing defenses pause.  But bear the first part of that last sentence in mind—they must be used the right way.

In particular here, we're talking about Cerci.  He was brought up in Roma's youth system as a winger, but he never truly settled in a wide role.  He had a productive season with Giampiero Ventura on loan at Pisa in the 2007-08 season, but it was cut short by injury, and he never really found consistency until 2012.

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It was then that fate reunited him with Ventura at Torino.  Ventura remembered the youngster that had had so much success under him and made a simple change.  He moved Cerci from the wing to a more central role as a seconda punta.  It was there that he flourished, scoring 21 times and notching 11 assists in his two years at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino.

Much of Cerci's struggles this year with Atletico Madrid and Milan have stemmed from a lack of playing time, but neither Diego Simeone nor Filippo Inzaghi have utilized him properly either.  In spite of overwhelming evidence that he plays better in a central role, both coaches have played him on the wing when they have called his name.

Inzaghi's position as manager in Milan is likely untenable, so if Immobile is acquired, his successor will have to have the vision to replicate the way Ventura played the two players.  Frankly, Cerci should be moved back inside regardless of where Immobile ends up this season—it's simply not working for him as a winger and never really has.

Whether that will happen is another question.  Milan seem ready to reunite with Carlo Ancelotti should he be sacked by Real Madrid as expected.  On Friday, Football Italia relayed a report from La Gazzetta dello Sport that Silvio Berlusconi has offered his former coach a three year deal and a larger transfer budget.

If Ancelotti does return, it would be unlikely that Cerci is returned to his stronger role.  Ancelotti is a die-hard proponent of the 4-3-3, which doesn't lend itself to a seconda.  Indeed, his tactics are the model Inzaghi has tried to emulate this season—although he is also a good enough coach to adjust if he sees it absolutely necessary.

There are some doubts about whether a deal will be done.  The same Football Italia piece said that the pink paper's competitor Il Corriere dello Sport has reported that Ancelotti has turned his old boss down, and Marca (h/t Football Espana) is also reporting that the sack is not as imminent for Ancelotti as most believe.

If Ancelotti doesn't return, the list of potential successors to Inzaghi is wide-ranging.  Much will depend on who is hired and what tactical sensibilities they bring with them.

Whoever is on Milan's bench next year, they should take a close look at what we already know Cerci and Immobile can do together and push hard for a deal with Dortmund.  

If the two are combined as they were at Torino, Milan could be well on their way to solving the attacking problem that has dogged them since the sale of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2012.