Scouting 3 Potential Summer Transfer Targets for AC Milan

This summer is already telling a different story about AC Milan. 

The dominoes fell just after the club announced President Silvio Berlusconi's intention to sell 48 per cent of his shares to Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol and his consortium, which seems to include investment firm Doyen Sports.

Suddenly, the Rossoneri have money—and connections. Milan Vice-President Adriano Galliani has been working with Doyen's CEO, Nelio Lucas, on possible transfers, as the two went together to Portugal to snatch Jackson Martinez from Porto.

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Photo of Galliani and Nelio Lucas when they arrived in Porto yesterday: pic.twitter.com/I6q5lkqAUe

— AC Milan News (@Milanello) June 11, 2015"

Porto President Pinto da Costa confirmed the €35 million move for Martinez in an interview with Porto Canal (h/t Football Italia), insisting that the release clause must be paid in full.

That's one of the biggest sums of money that Milan have ever spent on a player in their history. In fact, only two signings cost more: Rui Costa at €41 million and Filippo Inzaghi at €36 million, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. It's a huge statement from a club that finished in the middle of the Serie A table the past two years.

And there is no sign of them stopping.

Milan are reportedly looking closely at three other players, one in each major position: Atletico Madrid defender Miranda, according to the Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Monaco's Geoffrey Kondogbia, per Sky Sport Italia (h/t talkSPORT), and Paris Saint-Germain's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as Berlusconi himself revealed in an interview with Tele Lombardia (h/t Football Italia).

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Miranda would relieve Milan's defence, first and foremost the biggest concern. The 30-year-old Brazilian has started the majority of games under manager Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, complementing Diego Godin as part of a fearsome defensive duo. Miranda has also recently claimed a spot in the Brazilian national team.

His style of play is similar to countryman and former Milan player Thiago Silva; Miranda has some height and some quick feet, meaning he is always in a position to make a tackle. He is also a fairly clean player on the pitch, registering few yellow cards for such a physical player and hardly any reds.

If Alex stays at Milan, there could be an all-Brazilian partnership with Miranda. Alex's excellent passing skills could combine well with Miranda's more imposing presence. Milan need to find some kind of chemistry in their own end, as they have not settled on a complete back four since Silva and Alessandro Nesta disbanded in 2012. 

Miranda may be the most important signing of the offseason for Milan.

The midfield, however, is lacking almost as much as the Milan defence. With Nigel de Jong heading into the land of free agency, Milan most definitely have to find a replacement. And Kondogbia should be it.

Much like De Jong, whose interceptions and tackles won back many balls, the 22-year-old Kondogbia is a warrior. "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," wrote Bleacher Report's Sam Lopresti.

Michel Euler/Associated Press

Kondogbia excels as a defensive midfielder. He's not your man for goals and assists, but he is the kind of energetic midfielder who disrupts the flow of the opposing attack and dispossess anyone in his way. 

Milan would basically be getting a much younger version of De Jong with tremendous upside and resale value. He is worth every bit of the €30 million price tag that Sky Sport Italia reported (h/t Forza Italian Football). 

The crowning jewel of the transfer campaign could well be a former player: Ibrahimovic. 

Berlusconi told Tele Lombardia (h/t Football Italia) that he hopes Ibrahimovic returns to the club that made him happy.

"I was very happy to be at Milan. They gave me my smile back," Ibrahimovic said at his unveiling with PSG in 2012, per CNN. "It's a club that will stay in my heart."

Ibrahimovic is 33 years old now, but he is still scoring and playing some of the best football of his life. And perhaps more important than his performances is his leadership—something Milan dearly lack.

The big Swede only knows how to win, and he keeps his teammates honest.

Since the big exodus of veterans from Milan in the summer of 2012—back when everyone from Clarence Seedorf to Gennaro Gattuso left the club—there has been a complete absence of direction at the club. Ibrahimovic would bring some authority back to the dressing room and perhaps unite it.

Ibrahimovic knows what it means to play for Milan, and if anyone crossed him or the team, he could (quite literally) kick them upside the back. 

If all three of these signings actually happen, expect Milan to compete for the Scudetto next season.