Why Geoffrey Kondogbia Would Be a Dream Summer Transfer Target for AC Milan

AC Milan face several major hurdles when it comes to locking down big names in the transfer window this summer.

There is mounting evidence that transfer chief Adriano Galliani is losing his touch.  Granted, over the last few years he hasn't had anything close to the budget he's used to having, but he also seems stuck in the past.  Many of the moves he's made seem to be for the sake of changing something rather than targeting a player who fills a specific need—or developing younger players to fill it.

The other—and perhaps the biggest—obstacle to Milan landing a big signing is the fact that they can't offer a newcomer European competition.  Whether they're going after an established star or a hot young up-and-comer, the main goal of every player in Europe is to play in the Champions League.  Even the Europa League is more attractive now that its trophy comes with the carrot of a Champions League place the next season.

Milan is about to embark on their second consecutive year outside the European scene.  That makes it exponentially harder to sell the club to a true difference-making player.

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That said, a lot of things are going to change when Bee Taechaubol completes his acquisition of 48 percent of the club in two months' time.  The cash influx might allow the team to entice a player or two with a big wage and the idea of helping a legendary club make its way back to the top.

Who in this transfer window would be a dream target for the Rossoneri?  A man who is used to wearing red on a soccer field: Monaco's Geoffrey Kondogbia.

Why Kondogbia and not a flashier signing, like a forward?  Because the team's best midfielder, Nigel de Jong, is almost certainly leaving the club as a free agent this year, and the 22-year-old Frenchman is the perfect replacement.

Simply put, Kondogbia is a machine in midfield.  He excels in defense and probably outstrips the departing Dutchman's passing ability already.

He has the potential to end up developing into the kind of complete midfielder that Arturo Vidal, Paul Pogba and Yaya Toure are so celebrated for being.  The thing that currently separates him from those players is his goalscoring—he's never scored more than once in the league in any season.

The best evidence of Kondogbia's talent comes from what were likely the two biggest games of his young career: the two legs of the Champions League quarterfinal against Juventus (the WhoScored.com statistics of which can be found here and here).

Monaco failed to score in either of those two games, though that was no fault of the midfielder's.  He hit the target with three of seven shots over both legs, completed seven dribbles and made three key passes.  He also drew five fouls over the two games.

Even more impressive is the fact that the balance of his numbers came in the first leg, which for Monaco was the away match.  

A lot of that had to do with the formation he was facing.  At home, Juve went with their attacking 4-3-1-2, leaving Kondogbia with a few more gaps to exploit.  When Juve went to a 3-5-2 at the Stade Louis II, the space was no longer there.

Defensively, he made four tackles in Turin and five more in the return.  He also made five interceptions over the two games and only committed two fouls in each.

Almost all of his numbers over the course of the tie met or exceeded his season averages.  The only one that saw a significant dip was his pass completion—a 78.2 percent average from the two games.  That's nearly seven points lower than his all-competition average, but against a team like Juventus—arguably the best defensive unit in Europe—a dip in completion percentage can be expected.

Kondogbia is a very good midfielder already and could develop into an even greater force.  In a Milan shirt, he could help the team exponentially.  Milan's midfield lacked both creativity and steel this season, and by buying Kondogbia they could go a long way toward strengthening both of those weaknesses in one shot.

Kondogbia's defensive skills would be an invaluable asset to a team that has struggled at the back for several years.  His ability to win the ball will help cover, while the defensive line—particularly the center-backs—is rebuilt.  On the opposite end, his passing ability will provide a link to the likes of Stephan El Shaarawy and Giacomo Bonaventura, who can then look to make the final ball and finish.

Milan are already on the Frenchman's trail.  Il Corriere della Sera reported on Tuesday (h/t Football Italia) that Galliani is planning a trip to the principality to discuss a transfer for the midfielder.

They aren't the only team that has keyed on the player.  Crosstown rivals Inter have been linked to him though L'Equipe (h/t Football Italia), while the player's agent also told FC Internews (h/t ESPN FC) that Juventus, Manchester City and Real Madrid are also hunting for his services.

Getting Kondogbia on the team is going to take a lot of doing.  He's going to be pursued by a lot of clubs that can offer him European competition—indeed, he's already on a team that is in the Champions League playoff.  Convincing him to come to Milan will be a massive undertaking, but if they can pull it off it will be a major coup and a huge piece in the Rossoneri's rebuilding effort.

Getting him to the San Siro would be a dream come true.