Ahh..that clears things up. FWIW, on paper Mancini and Abate are a good combo. Mancini is the dribbler who should draw the fullback giving space for Abate on the overlap to cross.

This has not been implemented in practise though...and could be just a matter of time. I actually wouldn't be surprised if we did end up buying Mancini to complement Yepes as a depth option.

Hrm.

So, they just had a brief soundbyte of Maxi Lopez during the sport segment on Sky tg24 while they were previewing Catania's game with Livorno. He said (I think) that he'd love to play with Ronaldinho again, perhaps at Milan (Maxi played for Barca in times gone by).

Thoughts, anyone?

I think he's been great this season, but not what we're really looking for. Boriello and Hunter are on the same level imo, we need someone that is top quality if we want to get out of this self imposed rut we've been in.

1st priorities should be the defence then the midfield, we need another CM and and attacking mid if possible, the creative load shouldn't be all on Pirlo and Dinho, it's too much and we're starting to see how it's run them into the ground

A striker should be 3rd on that list. We've had a lot of bad luck with Pato this season and his injuries. But I do think we need some cover for that right side. Mancini obviously wasn't the answer and they're clearly not interested in giving Verdi or Adiyiah a chance, so we need a decent back up for next season in case of Pato having another injury nightmare

Nah, we already have Borriello, Huntelaar and Inzaghi for that position.

Exactly. Defense and midfield have to be the priority for this signing campaign. Actually, I hear a lot of talk regarding defense (and attack), but nobody seems to mention the midfield. We absolutely need a pair of new signings, a defensive midfielder and someone with a quality set of skills. Seedorf is past his prime. He's old (too old) and demotivated. I can't stand him. My picks would be Goulon, nicknamed the new Vieria, who also happens to be a free agent, and Hernanes.

A new signing for DM? Are you sure? Ambro, Flamini, Rino, Strasser...is our lineup.

I think we need to sign a Seedorf and Pirlo backup.

The striker thing...is funny. I was all for a striker..but I saw bits of the Samp match and Borriello was just immense, with a proper supporting cast and hard work I dare say he could be our 20 goal striker.

He's been out for quite long periods this season, and yet his goal tally is 15 now (one shot a penalty). At Genoa (which is where we went WOW!) he scored 19 (including all penalties). Believe it or not, he's delivered exactly as he was supposed to!!

This has been probably posted before and I haven't been on in recent days so i'm gonna I'm gonna out line some things for people:

-We have increased our revenue by quite a considerable margin. No doubt this is due to the improvement in results this year and the jersey sales of beckham/ronaldinho/pato etc etc. Furthermore, we have cut some huge wage bills. Kaka's being 9m and carlo's being 4 million. Also the sale of Kaka and gourcuff have also increased this.


Currently we have a debt of 10m, which is okay it is at the fluctuating point. Most clubs fluctuate between 0 to 20m debt. Anymore and we'll have trouble.

--


Its good news that Galliani has declared no big sales. For those worried about Pato, relax. There is no way we'll sell him. He's here for at least 3 more years.


Furthermore, I'm glad to see Huntelaar staying. Next year he'll be a force to be reckoned with. I would have liked to see Dzeko come here but not at 40m. Borri and Hunt are decent and we should be satisfied with that in the striker department considering if we want anything better it'll cost us an arm and a leg.


----


So lets look at our market:

Out:

Inzaghi, Dida, Roma, favalli are all out of contract come this summer. The only one I see getting a renewal is Roma but that is still at a low chance.

That is approx about 10m off our wage bill.

Kaladze will either be sold or have his contract rescinded. Thats another 4m off our wage bill. Jankulovski will most likely see the door as well and that is another 2m off our wage bill. Oddo is a possiblity but I think he'll stay here. He would be 3m off if he were to go.


Zigoni-->loan

Paloschi-->co-own

Strasser--> loan or could go to first team. I think loan is 90% likely.

other youth--> loan/co-own

--------

Renewals:

Ronaldinho-->2013. Wage bill will drop from 8m-->6m.

-------

In:

We realistically have 25 m to spend (15 m from sponsor, 10m from friendlies). So these are the moves that will most likely happen:

GK: We will bring back storari. If he doesn't return (we'll get 3-5M for him and) we will sign a goalkeeper for cheap similar to roma and/or re-sign roma. Abbiati/gk will fight for first string.

DF: Albertazzi will be promoted to the first team. Astori will be also brought back for (1 or 2M) from cagliari. Yepes will be signed on a free.

MF: Mancini will be signed (3.5m). Hernanes will be signed for 12-15 M. Ronaldinho will get his extention. Verdi will be promoted to the first team.

FW: Huntelaar and Borriello will stay. There is a chance we'll sign another foreward as inzaghi will see the door. That could be trezeguet (free) or another veteran striker.


The remainder will be put to signing another set of youth.

----

Team:

GK: Abbiatti/Storari or gk/ roma or gk

DF: Nesta, silva, bonera, onyewu, albertazzi, astori, Abate, Antonini, Oddo(could be gone), Zambrotta, yepes

MF: Seedorf, Pirlo, Gattuso, hernanes, Ambrosini, Flamini, ronaldinho, mancini, pato, verdi, adiyiah, (strasser possibility 10%)

CF: huntelaar, borriello, trezeguet or cf

full backs?? I am sure we need some new faces there

I agree. Thanks Blue for the analysis:

My thoughts:

- No Mancini. Silvio's against it and Silvio also said he thought Milan needed an attacker. I expect Silvio to be flexible with his purse strings in this regard.

- I expect Hernanes only if Leo is staying. Otherwise it'll be some one young and cost-effective from Europe.

- I do expect a fullback signing for sure, since both Marek and Oddo will be leaving. Don't think De Vito's anywhere near ready yet.

All in all I expect next year to be a fight for CL spot..just as I expect the next 4 years to be. Presuming we don't all die in 2012.

There's quite a distance between, say, protecting "your" club enough so they won't have to sell their best stars, and spending 810 million in 5 years.

I hate it how he (Galliani) thinks he's talking to a bunch of idiots. Berlu is a politician, no way he loves 'anything' in this world besides politics and himself. they're all the ****ing same.

-

Btw, are you guys taking the Emirates deal into consideration when you weigh up our possible signings? the deal is (according to BBC) £52 million in 4 years... isn't that going to make a difference to our currently pathetic-looking summer spending?

QUOTE

yup. its going to work like this. 15m euros from the sponsor. 10 million from friendlies.

Can't we spend it all in one window?

LOL we could but then we'd be screwed in the next 4 years.

Minor clarification: Goal.com got the 810 million thing wrong. Galliani said that inert LOST 810 million in 5 years, not that they spent that much. See discussion in the Serie A thread.

How the hell can Dzeko agree to terms with two teams? Quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing his name to the point that I won't lose any sleep if he doesn't come here. Also, keeping Roma for next season would be a joke.

Okay, he goes to Chelsea.

By naming those 4, it's an obvious yes. Gattuso is nothing anymore and Strasser most likely also not at the moment. That leaves only Ambrosini and Flamini who are proper DM's for next season. Please sell Gattuso, and sign a new DM, I even rate Fer higher at this point.

No, we need a starter so Seedorf can be backup.

I was about to say that. Gattuso is an ex-football player nowdays and Strasser is a joke. With only Ambro and Flamini you need at least one more DM.

look how much Real spend on Ronaldo just to win champions leuage and Dzeko aint worth it.

if your gonna compare us to real you may as well hope berlu buys every player one of these

+1

If two teams offer you the wage you want, and the stipulations you want, then you agree terms but have to choose which one you actually want to join.
It's not that absurd.



It does appear to be something of a soap opera.

Milan needs to spend some money and we should not do a stupied misstake like Real did
and even Maldini said to La Gazzetta dello Sport, " Im hesitates, if Milan are going to make this challenge they need to spend and buy some youngsters"
Im not that impressed by Trezeguet and Cacau but Trezeguet is allready saying good bye to Juventus

I don't think we're that desperate for any attackers anyway, unless we're unloading some. Defense has to be the priority, then somebody in the Pirlo mould ould be nice.

Apparently Torres wants to leave England. He feels the amount of injuries he's been picking up is down to the phsyciality in the league and doesn't want it to affect his health in the future. It'd be nice to break the bank for him, we'd make back what we have to spend easily I would have thought. But I don't think we're in the risk/reards business.

Was just about to post something about this. My bet is that if he should come to Italy, he'd probably go to the gobbi, since Benitez is supposedly going there next season. Wouldn't say no to him at Milan though.

I can't see him come to Italy simply because I can't see any Italian club spending 45-50 million for him. Maybe Inter could afford it, but they're well covered in attack and their main target is Fabregas.

Oh, OK. It's just that I'd never heard of this or signing of "pre-contract agreements" until I started following international football.

huh?

He's talking about the game

His current wage is 2.5 Mil € per season

I'd cream my pants a very thick coat if we signed Fernando Torres. But if he thinks England is tough tackling and dangerous to his career then Italy's not all that much friendlier.

He's obviously used to La Liga where they afford you enough space to fit the Titanic through, and if he leaves England I imagine it would be to go home.

From what I gather, Torres and Benitez aren't particularly close - the only thing they share is nationality, and more than one player, Torres included, has pointed out that Benitez is anything but a friendly man manager. He doesn't sound like a good boss to work under tbh.

He's also a complete *** when it comes to media interviews. Benitez, that is, not Torres.

We should have signed Torres when Albertini recommended him, yet again we missed the boat.

just another flop from our management just like:
-not buying lloris
-missing on cissoko
-inter stealing zlatan
-luis fabiano stuff
-paying more than 10mil on oddo + foggia
-GORCOUFF
-(i still got faith on KJH)
-mancini
-vieri
-ronaldo
- ECT....

this has been some of the terrible moves

+the only plus has been pato
+/- borriello (it has been an asset this season)
+ronaldinho (it was a good deal for the $$)

i dont expect big moves this summer (hopefully im wrong). i do expect a couple of signings.
galliani mentioned we are 10 mil short in debt... i think we are holding up until platini passes the "cant spend more than u earn" rule for UEFA competitions.. once this go through, lots of clubs will be unstable an will offload players or owners will have to sell their top players...
after will be on top.. there is a couple of years of recession before big surprises in my opinion...our management has no rush

Still not convinced on Cissokho personally (though the ecuse as to why we didn't get him was laughable). Lloris is going to be the best in the World at some point, would have been nice to have him.

Right now Fiorentina are in 9th place (and currently 8 points out of 6th) with 3 games remaining. In the event that they don't qualify for Europe next season (which I think would be a real shame but which seems to be a pretty strong possibility), is there any Viola player we should make a play for?

Definitely,Jovetic and Di Silvestri as a Rb,they both would be great assests.Jovetic has the potential of becoming a world class player,He can support strikers and be one from what I have seen,and he is very young,even smaller than pato I think,and Di Silvestri is also young and good.

we could have bought de silvestri last summer but yet again, we missed a chance to buy a good young player.

Although he's been out injured most of the season...

I read Aogo's agent was spotted in a restaurant in Milan today, and Braida was also spotted outside of the restaurant as well.

I rather like Aogo. He'd get a fins up.

EDIT: Did you see that on Sky Italia too, X-Off? Saw a brief mention of it there.

Nope, I read it on Tuttomercatoweb. I don't have Sky in here.

Read the news and read the rumors...

NOBODY WANTS TO COME AND PLAY FOR US!!!

more like...

NOBODY ANY DECENT IS CHEAP ENOUGH FOR US!!!

Mediaset's reporting that Milan folks met with Dennis Aogo's agents and that there's an agreement of terms. They also report that Hamburg will ask 5-6 million for him.

link

They're also reporting that Milan may be interested in Cagliari's midfielder Andrea Lazzari, especially if Allegri comes to Milan. Tuttomercatoweb is quoting his agent as sayign that while he does have a meeting with Milan coming up, it's about someone else.

Tuttomercatoweb is reporting that the Livorno president is claiming that Milan is interested in two of his players, Knezevic and Bernardini.

Rebuilding AC Milan: Berlusconi asks for help from Sassuolo

Aogo and Astori: the rebuilding of Milan starts with the defense.
The oldest of team in Serie A have also hired Yepes, 34, but now change strategy and aim for two young people: the German’s agent is in town, perhaps he will meet the Rossoneri today.
(Corriere dello Sport)

"Milan to the ‘Milanisti."
The Leonardo era is closed, Filippo Galli is chosen.
Unless there are surprise afterthoughts by Berlusconi, Galli will sit on the bench with Mauro Pederzoli. Mauro Tassotti will be the new responsible for the youth sector.
The rejuvenation of the first team accelerated: the most rated "baby" Rossoneri are Donnarumma, Perucchini Albertazzi, Romagnoli, De Vito, Strasser, Verdi, Beretta and Zigoni.

In the meantime, president Berlusconi asked Giorgio Squinzi, owner of Maipei and Sassuolo, to become an AC Milan shareholder.

Source : http://www.calciomercato.com/index.php?c=46&a=177456

I have never watched this player play. Is he good?