4 Players AC Milan Should Target from Euro 2016

This summer’s UEFA European Championship has given an excellent platform to talent from across the continent. With an expanded format granting qualification to 24 countries, more players than ever before have been able to shine on the tournament’s grand stage.

In turn, this has allowed clubs, such as AC Milan, access to a greater quantity of individual performances as they seek to scout and pick out potential additions to their squads during the transfer window.

The festival of football does include pitfalls for clubs, however. Major international finals are short and therefore do not necessarily give ample time to properly assess a player’s attributes. But, if utilised correctly, it can be a genuine opportunity for clubs on the lookout for new signatures.

On Wednesday morning, Milan announced that Vincenzo Montella will be their new head coach, according to Reuters (via the Guardian), with the former Fiorentina boss having signed a two-year contract. And, with a new man in charge, they will be keen to strengthen the first-team squad ahead of next season as they plot a return back to the top of Serie A.

If the Rossoneri’s scouts have been paying attention to Euro 2016, they will have seen a number of intriguing players who could bolster them in key areas, including the centre of defence, central midfield, attacking midfield and up front.

Here, Bleacher Report takes a look at four such players who Milan should target.

Bartosz Kapustka (Poland)

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Prior to Euro 2016, few outside of Poland knew much about Bartosz Kapustka. But, thanks to the 19-year-old’s displays for his country this summer, he has captured the attention of a wider audience. Those enthused by him include English football pundit Gary Lineker, who described the player as “deliciously talented.”

The youngster, who plies his trade in the Ekstraklasa with Cracovia, broke out on the international scene with his performance against Northern Ireland in Group C’s opening game. Starting on the left-hand side of midfield in a 4-4-2 shape, his quick feet, ball control and flair caught the eye.

That day, Kapustka made two key passes, completed two dribbles and contributed two tackles and interceptions to earn a 7.17 rating from WhoScored.com. He lost his place to Kamil Grosicki for Poland’s next game against Germany, but he had already made a positive impact.

Milan struggled for creativity at times last season, particularly against defensive opposition, though the young attacking midfielder could help in this respect with his precocious technical quality and dribbling skill.

In addition, Kapustka can play behind the strikers as well as on either wing or in the centre of midfield, making him a highly adaptable option. With Montella likely to rotate between shapes—as he has done with previous clubs—between 3-4-3, 3-5-2 and 4-3-3, this trait would make the player a particularly useful addition to the Rossoneri squad.

Adam Nagy (Hungary)

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Hungary were a pleasant surprise at this summer’s championship, reaching the second round after a 2-0 win over Austria and draws against Iceland and Portugal. They couldn’t cope with Belgium, eventually losing 4-0, but played fluent, passing football and showed plenty of potential.

The Nemzeti’s brightest young talents included 22-year-old creator Laszlo Kleinheisler and 23-year-old defender Adam Lang, but the most promising of all was 21-year-old midfield director Adam Nagy.

Hungary coach Bernd Storck was a 4-2-3-1 formation, within which the young defensive midfielder acted both as a screen in front of the centre-backs as well as an instigator of attacking moves, circulating the ball effectively from deep.

Nagy’s intelligent movement, distribution and stamina ensured that he stood out as a key part of his country’s footballing future. ESPN FC's Tomasz Mortimer saw it coming, stating before the tournament that the player “will need to perform if Hungary are to succeed, and despite his inexperience, he is already a vital component to the side.”

In the wake of his displays for Hungary, the player has attracted interest from some major European clubs. Indeed, according to L’Equipe (h/t Talksport), Portuguese giants Benfica have already lodged a £1.2 million offer to sign him from his current club, Ferencvaros.

Milan lacked quality at the base of their midfield last season, with captain Riccardo Montolivo failing to take control of games and evidencing an increasingly wayward passing range as the campaign went on. Nagy could offer a long-term solution to this particular problem.

Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (Iceland)

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Per BBC Sport, Iceland became the smallest nation ever to qualify for a major finals when they made it to this summer’s European Championship. But their story hasn’t yet ended. After a late win over Austria in their final group game, they drew England in the second round. What followed was one of the biggest shocks in football history.

After going 1-0 down early on, Ragnar Sigurdsson struck from a throw-in to equalise. Then, on 18 minutes, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s shot from outside the box squirmed underneath Joe Hart and went in.

Iceland would hold on to their lead to stun all of football and progress to the quarter-finals, where they shall meet hosts France on Sunday evening.

Sigthorsson’s match-winning goal against England was his first of the tournament, but he has contributed so much more to his team in other ways. The 26-year-old, who stands at 6’1”, has been utilised as an outlet for long balls, making full use of his excellent aerial ability.

Indeed, according to Squawka.com he has won more duels than any other forward at the tournament, including an incredible 36 in the air as well as eight tackles.

He didn’t enjoy last season at club level, scoring just three times in Ligue 1 for Nantes. But, with his aerial strength, movement and link-up play, he would bring a welcome extra attacking threat to Milan.

Milan struggled to break down reactive opposition last season with intricate passing. In those situations, they could have done with an alternative outlet, someone to cross to or target with direct balls. Sigthorsson could be just the player to provide this.

Domagoj Vida (Croatia)

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Croatia shone brightly, albeit briefly, at Euro 2016. After beating Spain to top Group D they lost to Portugal in extra time to exit at the second-round stage. It was a disappointing ending for a team that showed so much promise.

While the quality of their midfield and attack was undoubted, one aspect of the Vatreni’s performance that surprised was the solidity of their defensive line. With Dejan Lovren left out of the squad by coach Ante Cacic, Domagoj Vida stepped up to the plate, partnering Vedran Corluka at the heart of the back four.

And the Dynamo Kiev defender didn’t let his team down, putting in some impressive performances to ensure Croatia conceded a respectable four goals in as many games.

Vida is instantly noticeable due to his ponytail haircut, but it was his defensive work that won admirers this summer. He showed himself to be an aggressive marker and an efficient distributor of the ball, as well as a commanding aerial presence, something which was evident at both ends of the pitch.

According to WhoScored, the 27-year-old had a higher pass-success percentage than any other Croatian starter, while he also contributed 0.7 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 3.3 aerial duels won per game.

Montella has used a back three in each of his most recent coaching posts with Fiorentina and Sampdoria, and he may seek to implement a similar defensive setup with Milan. If this turns out to be the case, he will need centre-backs who are capable of playing in the channels, building possession and covering the wing-backs.

Vida has often been utilised as a full-back on either side of a four-man defensive line during his career, showcasing good versatility. And, with his understanding of both central and wide positions, it would seem he has the required tactical nous to function as an effective component on the outside of a back three.

That flexibility, along with his assertiveness, aerial strength and decent technical ability, make the Croat an ideal candidate for Montella’s new-look defence.