It doesn't matter whether he was injured all season or not.

You do not give a 35 year old player, who's clearly deteriorated physically, 3.5m for a season, not unless they're still a focal point of the team, such as Nesta, and even than such a huge wage is not justified. We've got younger players who practically play every game on much smaller wages.

Huh? And Gattuso is to blame for that?

Dude I just stated in my previous post as follows:



Hence the management evaluated and granted him a 1-year contract, no Rossoneri7, not dst, not Jack Sparrow ... The men who made this Milan what it is today. The people you consider clueless and incompetent.

Hence why do Seedorf, Pippo, Gattuso and Ambro have to have their names dragged in dirt?

Or you are just arguing for the sake of arguing?

God, you're missing the point. Classy players always make the difference. Aquilani just isn't that; he's not what we need.

I don't see how Aquilani fits in the story. If we get a good AM and DM and have Monto, Ambro, Boateng, Merkel, Strasser, Noce, Flamini and possibly Seedorf we are okay. Is Aquilani perpared to be a backup? Why go after a injury prone player who's spent more time recuperating then playing for the past few season? If we learned anything from last season it's that we can't rely on such players anymore. Pato is an exceptional talent worth waiting for, Aquilani on the other hand would be a always injured sub who lacks energy.

Because all I've seen when he came in for the last 15, sometimes more, minutes was a half dead player doing nothing. Sure, the injury got him out of shape, but anyway, I'm not gonna be obsessed with him, any average CM is alright to be a backup.



Getting to caught up? I think we aint that broke; we're just stingy on players like Aquilani to save some money for a player that could offer more. I don't know if it's Rivaldo or Modric, I only understand why our management isn't thrilled with Aquilani.

Mancini made a visit today to our headquarters to meet Galliani today. When asked by the journalists about Ibra, he said: "He's a great champion, Milan fans can rest assure".

Link

So, if he wasn't there for Ibra, was he for Tevez or Balotelli?

Why should Mancini come in then? City has a DoF right?

Or is maybe Mancini coming?

Montolivo thread please:

France Football: "Drogba to leave Chelsea"

Link

I wouldn't mind signing him for a couple of years.

Wage problem. I think he is going to China.

Is anyone else beginning to fear that one of Drogba or Lampard might eventually become a transfer target for us?

Drogba:
1) a bit of a c**t
2) A forward
3) Free agent
4) "Proven Champion", "CL Winner" and any other decoration you can think of
5) Insanely high wages, which can later be used the following year to not justify the next season's lack of transfer activity
6) Question-marks over motivation having won it all.
7) Direct competitor for a position that is properly covered (think Ronaldinho replacing Kaka)

Arguing for the sake of arguing?

Those players all requested certain amounts. Yes it was the club that gave them the contract but you better be sure that they had requests. Rino was being offered millions to put his name on a shirt in Russia, Seedorf was being offered big contracts in Brazil, etc. Don't think that they didn't have any personal demands of their own.

Both parties are at fault. When a player like Seedorf still expects to still be a starter and than 95% of the time walks onto the pitch half @ssed, playing like sh!t without an ounce of drive in him, than expect a certain amount of criticism. I don't get how past achievments make these players untouchable, especially when they earn the amount of money they do


Give me a name of one top player who comes on for 15 minutes every other week and makes a huge difference in a game?

It's not about the class of the player, it's about continuity, and giving that person time to recover match fitness after a long term injury. Even the best around struggle a bit when returning after injuries. I never said that Aqui was world class or anywhere close to it. I just said we need him for rotation pruposes. The majority of the players you listed are runners or destroyers. Currently, we only have one creative player on this team, and that is Montolivo. Do you really want to risk going into next season with just him? Seedorf is 100% out, and he's still too unreliable to count on. We have no decent backup for Boateng and the Sahin and Ganso rumours are just that, rumours. No word from anyone that we're even remotely close to signing either one of them, and both players are highly injury prone so getting one of them and Monto is still not enough. We need cover for Boateng and cover for the CM, whoever that might be. And if no one else comes in because we can't pay up, like last summer, than Aqui would be a saving grace rather the extra weight that you value him as.

A year ago it was Ronaldinho. Now it is Kaka of Madrid.

Although you missed my point again. I meant this: players who lose their position should try and fight back - Allegri is fair in this way. He always awards spirit and determination. Aquilani showed the exact opposite; there was no passion, no will to prove he's any good. That's why I think we can part ways comfortably.


You forgot Merkel, but okay - he isn't a real option.

Let's make it simple. I'm positive that our board will replace Aquilani if he decides to go. Whether it will be Ganso or Rivaldo I don't know. But I'm just saying, I won't cry a river for Aquilani because he is very replaceable.

I don't think they do.



I don't think you'll see us signing old players anymore.

The top guys will go to China/America for one last payday that will price us out. I think Lampard is unrealistic because English players generally do not move away.

+∞



Let's not jump the gun yet. We're still in May, there are three months of calciomercato ahead of us. If we can get Şahin or Ganso, then there's no point in signing Aquilani on a permanent basis. So, let's just wait.



Are you sure about that? Because it seemed pretty obvious that Allegri didn't play Aquilani due to the '25 games' clause, rather than because he didn't convince him. Like han said, Aquilani was barely given a chance to prove himself.

I read he wants Thiago Silva.

Well - it's an interdependent thing. If Allegri was convinced by him he'd say "let's keep him" and played him maybe more. Since he didn't convince, well...what's the point of keeping him?

I just think we never intended to pay the €7 million to Liverpool in the first place. Besides, we must also consider another "important" factor in disfavor of Aquilani: Suleyman "Sulley" Ali Muntari, or better known around here as Allegri's flame. It's quite difficult to convince your coach to play you when he's too darn concentrated on jerking off whilst watching his "allrounder" play like an idiot.

Ronaldinho and Kaka

Kaka rarely came in late, so you can't really say either way. He was a player that needed rythm just as much as the next guy. Ronaldinho is even worse because he's usually very slow to get into things.

I maintain. Whether Aqui stays or goes, even if we sign Sahin or Ganso, we still need someone to cover AM and to cover CM, Monto can only cover one area. And I'd bet my @ss that we'll find ourselves with both positions needing to be filled by backups during the season because of injuries. And once again, we'll get to see the travesty that is Urby playing behing the strikers

And suddenly Allegri is fair to you? Just because it suites your argument? You've pointed out how unfair he is with certain players many times. Yes he likes the hard workers and seems to give those players endless opportunities. It's the same reason why he was so quick to boot out Dinho, why he did not bat an eye lash at losing Pirlo. You think Monto or the new CM will work their @sses off like say Nocerino does? No, because it's not in these players to run like headless chicken for 90+ minutes, and that's all Allegri seems to appreciate.


We've been through this before, case in point last summer and the whole Mr. X fiasco.

Aquilani and Montolivo imo are safety nets. They'll be very good backs ups for 2 important positions that currently are occupied by Boateng and Monto as the situation currently stand. What we want is a top CM to fill in either the left or right of our midfield. Monto would be cover for both areas. But imo, we all know how things will go with the injury climate at Milanello. Boateng will be injured within the first month into the new season and we'll either be stuck with Monto pushing up and Muntari in midfield or Urby behind the strikers. Which is just not acceptable. Filippo might view both Italians as average at best, but name me one top club who has players of their level to back up the injured. A team like Barca or Real might not need them because they usually manage to keep their 11 healthy throughout the season but that's not the case for us

I don't know han, Şahin and Ganso are not that unreachable like Fabregas and Hamsik were last summer. I'm confident we can snatch one of them, if we really want too. My whole point is that keeping Montolivo and Aquilani would be a good solution, since Monto can cover pretty much every position in midfield, and in case Boateng gets injured, we could always play:



However, if we're attempting to sign a superior playmaker, then there's no point in spending €7 million for Aquilani, since Montolivo would be the back-up in this case. Not to mention that we'd need those €7 million to sign the new player.

when $hitlegri finally gets Sahin and Ganso he'll play them at CDM and LB respectively then stop talking to them and freeze them out of the squad till Muntari and Antonini get injured

Aqui is not worth those 6m anymore.

We did not reach the 25 game clause so a new deal can be arranged for a lower sum, with lower wages which Aqui is said to be willing to agree to

Best case scenario

1st choise:


2nd choice:



Worst case scenario

1st choise:


2nd choice:

So, you want to have all Şahin/Ganso, Montolivo and Aquilani. Can we really afford it? Cause nowadays even €1 million seems to make a difference for us.

Oh, and by Diarra, I suppose you meant Traoré?

He is unfair with players like Inzaghi, Taiwo or Sokratis.

But it has nothing to do with Aquilani. Aqulani is another thing; IMO Allegri was fair with him and gave him 15, 20 or 30 minutes of play time after time, while Aqui did absolutely nothing even worth mention to prove he deserves to play more or stay. Muntari maybe be an idiot or a bad player, but he works his *** of while Aquilani is lazy. Chess-mate, if you ask Allegri. And since Aquilani is replaceable, I won't mind. End of story.


Actually, Kaka came in late a few times this season. But anyway. Look at Boateng. The guy is injured, doesn't play, comes back and you feel his determination and will. That's what Aquilani lacked. That's what Pirlo lacked as well, but his brilliance covered this little weakness.


I think our financial situation means this: we can afford freebies and almost free players like Emanuelson or Montolivo + one big or bigger transfer. Aquilani simply doesn't fit in any category.

The Italians are on relatively low wages. lower than what Seedorf and Rino earned...

We have about a million runners, and most of those are surplus, we need creativity more than anything else.

If it were up to me I wouldn't have signed that guy from the French league, and Muntari would also be let go.

Therefore we'd have, Flamini and Nocerino for the right side of midfield, Ambro and the new DM for the anchor position. a new CM and Aqui for the left of midfield, Boateng and Monto for the AM position. 2 players for each midfield position with Strasser and Merkel getting an extra 2 slots.

I think that would cover us fully. Our midfield is currently filled with runners and muscle men, we should reduce that number and add 2 creative players


Oops

It would make a good team but we simply cannot afford it. It's either Aquilani or Sahin/Ganso.

Wait, you seriously think it's doable?

So far Strootman seems most likely to join us, so assuming he will join us...

And I read that Sahin wants to stay with Real Madrid, it's his dream club anyway...

And someone who knows Brazil football and Ganso very well, don't think Ganso is a CM, but an AM, but with Cassano and Ibrahimovic as our attacking duo, we rather need a movement with pace AM like Boateng then yet another playmaking player in our attackin trio, creativity needs to be added in the so called midfield trio...

Hernanes rumours have been there too, though he'd be kinda expensive, but if a man can dream...

I hope for a midfield trio existing of Hernanes, Montolivo and Strootman. All players are good with the ball, and all players can defend, especially Strootman, and all are capable of attacking as well, and it's not even slow, so it has pretty much everything.

So with Inzaghi he's unfair when he gives him 10 minutes late un but when he does that to Aqui it's a fair chance... Double standards right there.

Muntari is not lazy? Have you ever seen him ambling around on the pitch. Someone makes a pass to him and instead of running for it he waits and we lose the ball. Why do you think he frustrates the sh!t out of me? Becuase I don't think he's good looking enough to be on this team? The only time he isn't lazy is when there's an opportunity to chop someone's leg off.

And give me the name of one player in the mold of Aqui, Pirlo, Monto, Dinho, Sahin, Modric, etc, etc, etc. That are not lazy by trade. They're not made to run, or to hustle about the pitch. You're comparing Aqui to players who are labelled by trade as runners, box-to-box guys, destroyers. You think Monto or Ganso or Sahin will run more just for the sake of it? No f@cking chance.


Oh, you're talking about the Real Madrid Kaka... Well I was talking about the Kaka at Milan and he was mostly a ryhtm player when he was here. Boateng is mostly an explosive player. In the previous post I was about to list you the players I thought could come late into the game and change it. I was going to mention Pippo, Trezeguet and mainly Boateng. Because he doesn't center his game on any form of rythm or flow, he's erratic. He can be great at times, and then mess up a simply touch to stop the movement of the ball, that's just the way Boateng is.


Our financial situation was sustaining previous wages of Rino, Seedorf, Pippo, Zambro, Nesta, VB, Flamini and Ambro at a combined total of 24.8 million Euros! After Taxes!! Plus Aquilani's 2m.

Now, as the situation stands, Flamini will get a reduced wage, so will Ambro and so will Aqui.

From those players:
Flamini earned 4.5m and could see his wage reduced to 2m
Ambro earned 3m and that will most likely be lowered to around 2m as well
And Aqui, as already stated is at around 2m, which isn't that steep already, and if he agees to around 1.5m it would still be good

Now add Monto to that list, who as I last read will earn 2.5m

Combined, from those numbers, those players would earn 8m

Now add Ganso or Sahin who would earn probably around 4m given the usual trend. A combined total of 12m. While previously the players mentioned above who left earned over 24m.

I think that's a huge financial and footballing improvement to our midfield.

Add a LB and the probable striker we'll most likely sign, and we would most likely still lower the wage bill from the atrocity that was last season's bill, with much better players who will actually play and be useful to the team, and not just there because of the weight their last name holds

* I got all the numbers from the wage feature Gazzetta last put out if you're wondering, I'm not just pulling numbers out of my @ss

Yes it's very much doable considering the wages we just off loaded from this season's bill and the significantly lower ones Ambro and Flamini will receive if they re-negotiate a new one (Please refer to my post above for a more detailed view )

Also, we need to offload at least one of the runners from that midfield. I vote Muntari!!!!!

Double standards? You must be joking! And you think he did a "Pippo" on Aquilani?
Aquilani started against Novara, he came in and played 30 minutes against Siena, 17 against Bologna, 35 against Fiorentina. Still wanna say it's the same?


I won't discuss Muntari here. I have a very low opinion on him, but anyway.


I'm not speaking about running, I'm speaking about effort. No matter if you're a fullback or CM or AM - I expect someone who is clearly the better player (Aquilani compared to Muntari) to show more effort when he looses his place. Aquilani showed zero. I don't care how long he was injured, IMO a truly good player would have done more.


Again, I know the players characteristics. This is getting ridiculous; I can go on naming examples for the whole night and you can put them aside one by one because they're different somehow. There is no Aquilani double
But the bottom line is, all considered, his entrences were pretty weak and his effort overall was disappointing. The guy isn't bad, but in this whole season there wasn't but one match he played balanced and good from minute one till the end. And that counts for me.

Great news about Strootman!

As for Ganso, when I've watched vides of him, he usually always seems to start plays from deep, he certainly doesn't look like an AM to me

Great news that the rumours are very hopeful (unlike for other targets), but nothing is sure yet.

Shame I can't really have an outspoken opinion on Ganso. At least if we will sign him and play LCM, we better have defensively strong midfielders, which makes Strootman an ideal add. If we actualy sign him, then for sure Van Bommel made it possible.

Those are just 3 games you mentioned. There were games were he got less. Sure it's not the same as Pippo, but if we want to go back to square one of this conversation. You can't compare the 2. Pippo is on his last breath. He was brought on in the Coppa against Juve and was given ample time but got injured 10 minutes into it. And as I previously said, you can't compare a midfielder to a poacher. Aquilani should have at least been given 2 back to back starts ahead of Muntari. That would have been a far more realistic stage to judge him on.


I wasn't talking about just the simple act of running either. When have you ever seen Pirlo with the crazy face of determination that a player like Rino sports? Same can be said of all the others I mention. I can probably count the amount of truely creative players who aren't lazy by nature on one hand, and still have fingers left over.


The problem was because you compared a pure poacher to a creative CM.

I agree that he was simply bland when he entered into the games after his injuries. I never contradicted that. But still, I feel that he wasn't given the proper environment to get back into the swing of things. At least a couple of consecutive matches. If they were offorded to Muntari they could have been afforded to Aqui.

But than again, this discussion could all be reduced to the simple sentence written by x-off. He wasn't given the starts so that we wouldn't be forced to buy him...

Do you know if there's a lot of talk in the Dutch papers about his move. Because from what I'm currently seeing, rumours are still very tentative.

No, only that Milan wants him and so (internet) when it comes to Dutch rumours, I looked for more but unfortunality not. So let's not get too excited! Seeing Real Madrid showing interest, rumours, are not fun to see though.

Now I've seen somewhere posting a rumour that we are interested in Kevin Strootman and Adam Maher. Ooh, Maher would be awesome as well. 18 year old AM, talent of the season in Dutch league. Just a random rumour though...

Doesn't Ganso play in the midfield trio for Brazil in their 4-3-3 formation? I agree with han, from what I've also seen, Ganso seems more like a deep-lying playmaker than a pure trequartista.

Oh, and I read about the Maher rumors, as well. You reckon he'd be worth signing, CHU?

Ganso is a service man....and an excellent one at that. Ganso passing to the likes of a 6'5 Ibra is a scentillating thing to think about.

midfield trio in 4-3-3 or 4-3-1-2 are different, but if we sign him, I hope you guys are right

Maher could really be a next big thing. Long term he may be the best player to sign in NL. Let's say he's the next Eriksen. And assuming Maher will be a lot cheaper... and not just me, everyone is excited about this kid. You know NL has many excellent AM's but yet he is in Euro squad, and survived the first round of eliminations as well...

so man city and barca want silva... I am afraid we could be losing him beacuse it is said that gallaini wants 50 million which City would offer and probably barca as well ( who have already offered 40m)..

And now its about their wages

Of course they have demands, its the club that negotiated with them, and kept them.

No one is at fault, why are you so eager to make this look as bad as you want it to?

And is the club paying the wages out of your pocket that you are so pissed off about it? I don't get it.

Look the club renewed with these players, not the players forcing the club to renew at 4M a season or whatever amount you like ... Whats the point of blaming Seedorf when he was 'OFFERED' a contract renewal by 'EXPERTS' who made Milan what it is today.


Feels like I'm constantly repeating myself.

Thiago Silva, Kompany

Two best defenders in the world together? Kompany is awesome, imagine him with Thiago Silva rather than Lescott...

But I am sure Silva would like City? I'm afraid he goes to Spain... oh please why is this happening, maybe

http://www.goal.com/en/news/596/exclusive/...elf-to-ac-milan

Dafuq?

I'd take Snejider anyday,he can truly take us to the next level.Ofcourse there are the injuries to worry about...

Mediaset reporting a lot of things. First, the signing of Acerbi seems a done deal, thanks to Genoa's help. In case we decide to sell Silva (both City and Barça have offered about €40 million for him), we'll go after Ogbonna.

Aquilani is likely to stay. He's willing to reduce his wages from €4 million a season to €8 million for four seasons. Also, Liverpool might reduce their economical requests for him.

We're after Sedan's 18 years old winger, Yanis Bahloul, who didn't renew his contract with them and would come for free. He's considered a huge prospect in France.

Finally, Nesta and Gattuso might re-think their decisions and extend with us for another year, considering they're having difficulties signing with New York Red Bulls and Glasgow Rangers, respectively.

-

I'm really worried about all these Silva rumors. I don't want to lose him, regardless of the offers. He's the strongest CB in the world at the moment, and one of the key people we should build the new Milan around of.

And I don't think Nesta and Gattuso will come back.

I don't think Sneijder is that injury prone...

http://www.milannews.it/?action=read&idnotizia=81101
How hopeful is this? (Strootman)

what exactly is this article saying??

It says that ManU have pulled back from signing Strootman and that we can get him for about €12 million.