2 Moves AC Milan Should Make in Final Weeks of the Summer Transfer Window

AC Milan need to make two more signings this summer if they want to compete with the rest of Serie A.

The first involves a prospect; the second, a veteran of European football. Alessio Romagnoli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are two completely separate pursuits—Romagnoli is 20 years old, while Ibrahimovic is going on 34—and yet both are equally necessary. Romagnoli would validate Milan’s plans for the future, and Ibrahimovic would immediately legitimize the team as it is right now.

They are both tough signings for separate reasons. Romagnoli commands an outrageous transfer fee—around €30 million, according to reports in Italy, per Rossoneri Blog—while Ibrahimovic demands high wages. In the end, we are talking about more than €50 million in total investments for Romagnoli and Ibrahimovic.

Salvatore Laporta/Associated Press

But they are wise investments. Think about the defence: There are only two defenders on the current roster under 28. They need to inject some youth in that area of the field. The veterans of the back line don’t even calm the nerves.

The shakiness of Cristian Zapata, the unpredictability of Philippe Mexes and the decline of Alex all cloud the defence. Just last year, there was no set centre-back partnership, with former coach Filippo Inzaghi flipping through defenders on a weekly basis.

So a defensive signing is necessary, and Romagnoli is their best bet. He is a young Italian international with poise. Newly appointed coach Sinisa Mihajlovic coached the 20-year-old at Sampdoria last season, and he seems to know the player’s intentions.

“If Romagnoli leaves Roma, he’ll come to Milan,” Mihajlovic told reporters (h/t Football Italia).

Mihajlovic would also welcome Ibrahimovic. And why not? Any time the big Swede joins a team, he instantly brings credibility with him. Signing Ibrahimovic is always a statement of intent, no matter how divisive he is. He is a brooding presence on the pitch, and he consistently scores in the double digits.

The most important thing is his leadership. Former AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso once told La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia) that Ibrahimovic can win you “10 games a season on his own.” And it’s true: He is the type of player who scores goals at the right time.

Another former teammate, Stephan El Shaarawy, recalled how Ibrahimovic made sure the team stayed on task.

“… [H]e never wants anyone to make a mistake and at times was a little heavy-handed,” El Shaarawy told La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia). “Let’s say Ibra was an important presence on the field and in the locker room.”

Milan need that more than the goals or anything else. They need to be fired up, and Ibrahimovic can light that fire. It’s the most important signing Milan could make.