Zambrotta To Milan – Imminent

AC Milan are just days, possibly hours, away from completing the summer signing of Barcelona star Gianluca Zambrotta, according to Controcampo.

Speculation that Zambrotta is set for a return to Serie A with Milan is not a new topic, indeed the question on everyone’s lips is not if the transfer will be completed, but when.

The 31-year-old signed for Barcelona from Juventus following the Calciopoli crisis in the summer of 2006. He has not truly demonstrated his full potential in Catalonia, and along with his wife has become increasingly homesick.

Controcampo says that Milan officials have been in lengthy discussions with Zambrotta's agent, Beppe Bonetto, and virtually all details regarding the deal have been agreed upon.

An announcement is expected within a number of days, possibly even hours. Zambrotta has also played for Como and Bari, and has starred 70 times for Italy, scoring twice.

He played at the European Championships of 2000 and 2004, and the World Cups of 2002 and 2006, the latter of which he has a winners medal from

Good news and I'd certainly welcome the signing. The only negatives are that he's old and playing poorly, not exactly what we need right now.

Welcome of course. But we do need much more!

Do you think he should be played more regularly at RB or LB?

LB

Yet another underperforming player just what we need

Let's hope he can regain some form.

He's 31. It's OK.

[Galliani MODE]Got a full-back for the next decade! [/Galliani MODE]

I can't wait for the official announcement!!!!!!!!

Please let it be true! Yes he's a short fix and not a long-term solution, but he's better than what we have right now (Janku/Oddo).

We still need another SB though.

And therein lies the problem - short term fix!

We need players for the future as well.

VARGAS!

Why bother to sign a "short fix and not a long-term solution" rather than a world class fullback?

Zambrotta's the best we can get right now. No other top players will want to come here.

That's not true. With a little effort we could sign the likes of Huntelaar, Van Der Vaart, Gomez, Diego, Benzema, Srna, Rafinha, Lloris, Jo and many more. It all depends on Milan's transfer plan for the coming summer.

Because we are AC Milan, and with all the underground deals, and shady stuff, we absolutely have no choice but to sign short-term, quick-fix players?


He's not quite top, kurt. Two or three years ago, yes. But right now, he's just plain good. Something like the current Cafu times two. Now, only if we somehow got Dani Alves.

Overall, we should have gotten Zambo two years back. And couple that with another two good signings (per year), plus Pato, and we'd be looking at second place at least - not the mess we're in right now. But for what it's worth, he's a very decent option, one who can play both as LB/RB. If only for 3-4 years. Let's wait for the official announcement.

At least we're making some moves. Now, make sure we sign at least 3 additional, quality players, if not more. Our bench is seriously lacking.

Good point.

I think we'll struggle to get players from the top teams, but like the players you've pointed out, there's some very good players at the next level of clubs.

Exactly!!





This retirement plan is totally absurd..

we need him, and he'd be cheap..but he better be one of 4 or 5 signings.

Zambrotta WANTS to come. And we want him as well. It's a good fit, for two years. Vargas would be great too.

Again its kind of a Gamble another player who is kind of over the hill. I say go for young defenders. I would rather see a young team who is fighting for 4th place than an old bunch of geezers that couldn't cut it elsewhere.

Zambrotta is an excellent player but again a player that is on the bench at other elite teams. A player who bounced on Juventus when the going got tough.

THat is very unfair. I suppose you think Kaka and Pirlo would have stayed on, if it had been our turn to go on. I don't think anyone except our 3 captains would have stayed in Milan if we had taken the drop.

What Zlatan did was maybe being traitorous. Zambrotta and Cannavaro were sold.

hes an excellent transfer for his price. He's a much better "short term" choice than rafinha antonini etc..

im afraid that he might be "a very short term" choice

I think they're all as bad as each other. Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Vieira, Emerson, Zlatan and Thuram all left for the same reason - they didn't want to play in Serie B. Juve managed to keep hold of Trezeguet, who wanted to leave, so I'm sure they'd have no trouble keeping these guys if they didn't ask to be sold. So if they say there reason is anything but not wanting to play in Serie B, they're all liars in my opinion.

I agree with Kurt. They all left, it's the same thing. Bad or wrong I'm not the one to tell, if they don't want to play in Serie B why should they? Where they went is another thing. And that's where Ibra and Vieira is at fault in my opinion... they should not have gone to a direct rival of Juventus especially when that one had the Scudetto on their shirts, a Scudetto Ibra and Vieira had won with Juventus.

LB, Janku can be used as a midfielder (his natural position) and also Zambro is much better playing on the left.


Yes he has underperformed for Barca, but he is still probable the best LB out there right now. And he might be 31 years old, but he's still got at least 3 good years in him.

This is one of the players that I really want, there are obviously other players that we are in need of, but if this is really true, then we are on the right track

I agree with the first sentence entirely, but as for the second one IIRC he wanted to come to Mian but Juve blocked it and almost forced him to go to Barca(the only other club interested if I remember).

I agree. And why should they stay? It was best for both Juve and them they parted. Now Juve can speak of a NEW squad without problems from the past.

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Yes he has underperformed for Barca, but he is still probable the best LB out there right now. And he might be 31 years old, but he's still got at least 3 good years in him.

I think Zambrotta is a great player but he's not what we need right now. In the past we've had those "Short term fix" agendas and we are now paying the price. The players are too tired to finish the race or too injury-prone to perform at 100%(of course this excludes Kaka).

We need players who can compete in both CL (or ..UEFA Cup?) and SerieA, all the way and consistently. Someone might argue but in the past 5 years we have only been consistent in CL at the expense of serieA.

I envy teams like ManU who put up a strong challenge in both CL and domestic competitions.

So our No.1 transfer policy for the next season should be to completely disregard ANY player over 25 years. Age must be a factor this time round. We already have enough old players in our squad and the focus right now should be to strike a balance!

Yes but you're comparing Zambrotta to a Favalli/Brocchi/Pancaro

He might not be young but he's still top quality

When were the previous guys I mentioned that we have used as short fixes ever class let alone world class like Zambrotta was and still is?

OMG OMG .... Oddo - Nesta - Maldini - Zambrotta (signed: "Italian defense and very experienced")