A Sense of Urgency at AC Milan
AC Milan finds itself in a familiar situation, where evident gaps in the squad remain unaddressed, and time is running out.
The leadership at Milan has decided to appoint Igli Tare as the sporting director, and it was expected he would spearhead the upcoming summer transfer window.
While Tare is undoubtedly engaged in various negotiations, the lack of substantial progress is evident to all, especially with the summer clock ticking away.
In just a week, the team will embark on a tour of Asia, and currently, the only new addition available to coach Massimiliano Allegri is Samuele Ricci, as Luka Modric will not join until early August. Should fans be worried?
Obvious Gaps and Stagnation
During a recent off-camera press conference, Tare emphasized that extensive analysis had been conducted to identify the squad’s weaknesses and what needed to be addressed.
The initial summer transfer activity led to Tijjani Reijnders moving to Manchester City, which highlighted the urgent need for two starting full-backs, three central midfielders, a striker, and potentially a winger or a centre-back, depending on outgoings.
Midfield has been prioritized, especially with the hole left by Reijnders. Progress seemed evident when Ricci officially joined from Torino, and Modric is on his way as well.
A Race Against Time
However, recent days have shown a halt in activity. While Archie Brown was identified as the replacement for Theo, he opted for Fenerbahce instead. Guela Doue has emerged as the favored right-back, but an improved bid hasn’t met expectations yet.
The negotiations for Jashari have spiraled into complications over a minor fee difference. Meanwhile, it seems that pursuing a centre-forward will extend into August, which is not reassuring for Allegri.
With the season’s first match against Bari in the Coppa Italia scheduled for August 17, Milan needs to act swiftly. The pre-season tour involves matches in Asia, Australia, Ireland, and London.
As things stand, Milan is preparing for summer friendlies without a dedicated centre-forward who will be part of the upcoming season, complicating Allegri’s plans.
The squad urgently requires two capable full-backs since current options like Alex Jimenez and Alexis Saelemaekers may not be the preferred choices for starting positions.
While negotiations are ongoing, time is of the essence. Acknowledging market realities and finding a balance between demands and offers is crucial, as losing out on opportunities would require restarting negotiations.
Although it may not be time to panic yet, the gap between a nearly complete squad for pre-season and the ticking clock is a growing concern.
