5 Big-Name Signings to Rejuvenate AC Milan
AC Milan have made progress this summer with the arrival of Vincenzo Montella as head coach. The former Fiorentina boss takes over the reins with the objective of pushing the club closer towards the top of Italian football.
The 42-year-old is known for preferring control of ball possession through a short-passing approach, something he has achieved success with in the past. There remains uncertainty as to how he will implement this style of play with the Rossoneri, though he briefly outlined some details on Thursday, telling the press:
"I don't like to talk about formations, as far as I'm concerned they're all variable. What matters most are the principles of play.
The club knows what my ideas are, and now even the players have understood them. We'll certainly start again from the four-man defence with three midfielders. We'll see about the rest.
"
Based on the above, it appears that Montella may well opt for a version of the 4-3-3 as his primary basic shape to begin with. And, with that in mind, Milan can now begin to target new signings to fit the coach’s tactical preferences.
In this respect, there is further good news, as it appears the club’s takeover talks are headed in the right direction, with club president Silvio Berlusconi telling reporters recently: "Milan is to all extents and purposes on a path towards China. I have accepted the valuation for the club proposed (by the Chinese consortium) and demanded that they commit to invest 400 million euros over two years."
As a consequence of the potentially sizeable investment in the squad, rumours have been growing regarding who Milan may sign this summer. What follows is a look at five possible big-name additions who would strengthen Montella’s team.
Daniele Rugani
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Juventus won a fifth consecutive Scudetto last season, adding a second straight Coppa Italia to the league success to retain their dominant position atop the Italian football hierarchy. And they appear intent on maintaining their status by improving their defensive options.
Bayern Munich’s Medhi Benatia has been linked to the club and could soon be competing with Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini for a place in Massimiliano Allegri’s back three. This could move Daniele Rugani down the pecking order, however, something that may in turn impact on the youngster’s availability in the transfer market.
According to Calciomercato, the 21-year-old is interesting both Milan and AS Roma. And, should Juventus bring in another centre-back, he may be more inclined to move in search of more regular first-team football.
There are a number of stumbling blocks for any bid for Rugani, however. One is that his current contract with the Bianconeri lasts until 2020; the other is that the champions value him at €20 million. If Milan’s prospective new ownership do inject significant funds into the club’s transfer budget, they may be able to afford the asking price. If so, the move would be one well worth considering.
Rugani is an elegant ball-player and a composed centre-back who relies more on his reading of the game than his physical attributes. He would fit Montella’s possession game perfectly and, alongside 21-year-old Alessio Romagnoli, could form the bedrock of the Rossoneri’s back line for years to come.
Leandro Paredes
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Milan have lacked quality in central midfield in recent years, with a string of players unable to stamp their mark on the deep-lying role since Andrea Pirlo’s departure to Juventus in 2011. Riccardo Montolivo assumed the position last season but failed to offer the same level of stability in possession.
Building from the back is likely to be core to Montella’s style of play, and therefore it is vital that the club finds someone to fill in the problem area in front of the defence. Roma’s Leandro Paredes could be the answer.
The 22-year-old spent 2015-16 on loan at Empoli and revelled in his time with the Tuscan side, playing the regista role to perfection. His perceptive passing enabled him to constantly break opposition lines, and his composure on the ball helped his team to retain possession even when under pressure.
He has been linked to Milan, though Gianluca Di Marzio’s website (h/t Calciomercato) report that Zenit Saint-Petersburg have made a bid of €15 million for the player.
The Rossoneri would be wise to compete with the Russian club for Paredes’ signature, however. The Argentinian would bring much-needed technical quality and tactical nous to Montella’s midfield.
Mateo Kovacic
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At 22 years of age, Mateo Kovacic has not yet begun to live up to his vast potential. Once viewed as one of the finest young midfielders in Europe, he failed to establish himself with Inter Milan, and a move to Real Madrid hasn’t quite worked out.
Joining the Spanish giants last summer for a fee of £26.35 million, there were hopes that the refined young creator would blend in amid the highly technical surroundings of La Liga, but ultimately he made just eight league starts in 2015-16.
Fortunately there is still time for Kovacic to be reinvigorated, and Milan could be the correct destination for him to get his career back on track. And, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t AS), “Milan are confident of their chances of taking him back to Italy.”
Juraj Kucka was the only central midfielder to provide penetration for the Rossoneri last season, though the Slovak relies more on strength and dynamism than on technique and intelligence. Montella could do with a more cerebral playmaker in this area of his team, which is where the Croat would fit the bill.
Javier Pastore
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The future appears uncertain for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore. The French champions have already made moves in the summer transfer window, bringing in Grzegorz Krychowiak and Hatem Ben Arfa to strengthen their midfield options.
They have also appointed a new coach in Unai Emery who favours a 4-2-3-1 setup, meaning the new signings will have to compete with Marco Verratti, Blaise Matuidi, Thiago Motta, Angel Di Maria and Lucas Moura for a place in the starting lineup.
It’s difficult to see where Pastore fits into the mix. He made 11 league starts last season and spent time out of the team due to injury and tactical concerns.
The 27-year-old generally played well when given the opportunity, obtaining six assists and earning a respectable 7.17 average rating from WhoScored.com. But with the new arrivals, he may find himself on the fringes of the squad in the near future.
A sublime technician with fine dribbling skills, accurate passing and good movement, Pastore would fit Montella’s style of play and could also bookmark his preferred No. 10 position in the Milan lineup. And, according to Calciomercato (h/t Football Italia), the club are keen to sign the player.
The Argentinian has experience of Serie A football, having played for Palermo between 2009 and 2011, and thus shouldn’t have issues settling in. And, as he is in his prime years, he would be an instant remedy to the creative void the Diavolo occasionally experienced last season.
Andrea Belotti
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In his first season with Torino, Andrea Belotti showed himself to be a quality Serie A marksman with immense potential. At just 22 years old, he settled quickly with the Granata after joining last summer, ending his debut campaign with the club with 12 league goals to his name.
Strong, direct and a willing runner, he is a constant thorn for opposition defences with his movement and hold-up play. He also plays his part in the defensive phase, dropping back centrally to force opposition buildup out wide.
Belotti may not yet be a big name, but the likelihood is he will be at some point in the future. His former Torino coach Giampiero Ventura is now in charge of the Italy national team, so it is not unfeasible to expect the youngster to be handed an Azzurri call-up soon.
According to the Evening Standard's Ken Dyer, West Ham United are in pole position to sign Carlos Bacca, for £26 million. And if the Rossoneri part with their top scorer of 2015-16, they will need a replacement.
Belotti is not as clinical a finisher as the Colombian, but he is more versatile and has much more upside. Signing him would not only fill a potential hole in the first team, but would be a statement of real long-term intent by Milan.
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