If he's great on the pitch and not causing trouble off it, then I won't be complaining of course. But I don't want him here in the first place to find out. Though If we do indeed sign him, I'll give him a fair chance to prove that he's changed. Apologising to Mancini is a start.

Speaking of which, what makes everyone certain that Tevez will leave City after all? if he thought he had no business with them anymore he wouldn't have apologized.

Well, he apologized to save what can be saved for this season. That's all IMO.

They would just have kept him on and fined him into financial oblivion if he hadn't. Man City has won more respect from me for the way they showed Tevez whose boss, rather than all their improvement on the footballing field!

We were closely linked to him...


It would be fun to see him play next year, so long as it's not with us...


I would hate if Juve took Nesta...but this is an interesting scenario none-the-less

I don't think seeing Nesta at Juventus is a possibility.

Unless the rumours of a fallout with Max Allegri are true...but I don't believe it.

Lazio I believe would be his ideal return.

Haha...it's not the Lazio of old. And if I'm not wrong the Laziale have booed him when he is in our colours. So...

Of course they are nout true, that was just groundless gossip story. They claimed that he's healthy while it was confirmed that he's injured.

Nesta said he wants to end his career at Milan, so no need to argue anymore further. As for Ogbonna, it would be a great signing. He was the most impressive azzurro against USA last week.

Agreed. Remove Yepes from the team, sign Ogbonna and give Nesta another 1 year deal. Him and VB are the only ones worth keeping.

That would give us a top class central defensive line

Quick, somebody please mail this to Galliani. If Nesta and Bommel aren't there at the end of the season, I am going to have a sad face. And if anyone else is there, I'm going to have an even sadder face. It's high time we shake hands with our senior players, and say goodbye.

We said the same thing last year and the year before that...

So it seems

But realistically speaking here. What's the point of keeping them on? They're getting some of the highest wages in the team and they're injured for the majority of the season, or in Ambro's case, doing decent in one game and messing up in another.

It's just not worth it anymore. And also there are rumours that Rino is doing the B coaching licence course or something along that line.

You are preaching to the choir. I agree, we should only keep MvB and Nesta but I'm not sure Galliani thinking the same.

I won't discuss this issue further, other then saying:

- part with Bonera if a new CB is in
- keep Yepes for another year
- part with Gattuso, or keep him at minimum salary
- part with Flamini
- keep Nesta at any cost
- keep Pippo if Allegri accepts to give him little more time as a bonus in crisis situations
- keep Ambrosini as team captain with a reduced salary
- keep van Bommel for yet another year

I'm undecided with Seedorf. If we miss a new creative midfielder again, then keep him. Never mind this Montolivo guy.

I know man. I was typing this and thinking, hey, I've already typed this exact sentence for at least 2-3 years running now. Unfortunately for some, and fortunately for others, we let go of the wrong guy last year (Pirlo), and kept the wrong one (Seedorf). And worse still, we practically gift-wrapped him to Juventus our direct rival.

This year, who knows, a couple more seniors may set sail. The amount they're earning, they just may.

- Don't think it's wise to sell Bonera and keep Yepes in such a scenario, you said this yourself, Bonera is a versatile player, and if someone like Ogbonna does come in than it wouldn't be much of a worry, Yepes is old and just spent an entire season out, don't know what keeping him would benefit us at this point
- Read above
- Part with him, no point keeping him after this season.
- Keep him at minimum salary
- Agreed
- No point in keeping Pippo. Again he's not going to be playing so what's the point.
- Please do not re-sign this guy, Abbiati is a good enough captain, it's not like he's a Maldini level leader. Ambro was never fit to be a captain to begin with
- Agreed

Am I the only one who read the Allegri interview where he said he relies on Rino Gattusso in the dressing room?

Then he should be given a back room position. No point in keeping him on as a player though

“For me in every team there are two leaders. One technical and tactical leader and one with character. In Milan our technical leader is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. In terms of character, until last year, it was Rino Gattuso. Now Mark Van Bommel or Thiago Silva.”

Ah Silva. Phew!!!

Looks to me like an agent trying to force Arsenal into upping the contract offer

Maybe, maybe not. I've seen Bommel whispering something into Persie's ear at the end of our CL clash with Arsenal. I'd speculate he told him something like, "I'm waiting for you pal..."

But back to reality - well, the link exists for quite some time. Maybe it's more then just the usual agent BS.

Why does he have two reps?

Because he's too cool to have just one! Gives new meaning to the word double agent.

I personally don't think we can afford to keep Ibra while also paying the huge salary RvP would demand. We'd probably have to pay them equivelent salaries. I don't think we could cope with it, even if we do manage to offload some of the big earners in our team (Seedorf, Ambro, Rino, Flamini, Zambro)

I think best we could do at this point would be Tevez, even if they decide to give Pato some more time. I believe they'll go after Tevez full force this summer.

Even if logically speaking a midfielder should be top priority

According to Il Corriere dell Sport, Ibra wants Real Madrid.

Here we go again.

RAIOLA: "Ibra to Madrid? I'm a serious agent, I wont be answering stupid rumors, Leave me alone"

German media convinced Podolski will be a Arsenal player next season. Well, that makes RvP a bit more reachable. But still don't think his legs and MilanLab will make a good mach.

Van Persie will sign for City as they'll offer him €12 million per season.

Link

I'd rather get Tevez, honestly. He adapts perfectly to Allegri's system. A fast, versatile player and a high working rate.

Tevez would suit us well, Persie would be a Pato v2 at this rate.

I don't like him, never have.

he's not that bad, of that list, I'd jump at Silvestre, perhaps one of the most underrated defenders in Serie A..

7m??

He's a free agent this summer, why would we pay any money or give them any of our players?

Anyway, I think it's a good move, Yepes clearly cannot be re-signed, he's just spent a season out injured. We need players who are reliable and are fit when we need them to fill in.

Although, with our medical team you can never say what will happen

I wouldn't let go of Yepes just because he was injured. It happens almost on weekly basis, and it isn't his fault.

And I agree with X-O, never saw anything special in Astori.

Yepes will be a year older next season and the only time he's played this season he made a mess of things.

Astori is a decent CB, especially for a 5th choice option I think it would be a very good move. Bonera would still most likely be ahead of him in the pecking order.

Naah, Yepes wasn't that bad. I'd still give him 1 more year, he seems to be a great team player as well. Kind of like him, don't know why; I'm usually much harsher when it comes to defenders.

This is what we keep saying every year! "I'd give him another year", "He deserves another year", etc, etc. The rolling contract rule has been put forth for a reason, and this is why. Your performance as well as contribution in a season be will assesed, and based on that only should an extension be considered. None of our players aside from 2 have done what it takes to earn another extension. It's getting ridiculous. We let Pirlo go because of this issue, yet the reason why such a system is adapted is completely being ignored so we can keep these players on our roster who either spend months out or months making mistakes on the pitch.

Yepes, Zambro, Ambro, Rino and Pippo should be let go. Offer backroom positions for those who want to continue at the club, but other than that none of them have anything left to give to this club as players.

You forgot Seedorf. Personally, I'd just about keep Yepes, at bare minimum retainer, but rest I agree.

Our player? Cagliari acquired Astori's full ownership last summer. But yeah, his contract expires this summer, so I don't really get the article.



Wiser words have never been spoken. 100% agreed.

The article mentioned that we'd send Strasser, Ely, etc the other way

No, not the renew-release talk again. Frankly, I don't care who'll be 3rd, 4th or 5th option, but if I had to pick between Pippo or a cheap newbie I'd stay with Pippo. Same with Zambro, Seedorf and Ambrosini. But if there is a quality replacement at sight, sure, let the veterans go, sign the prospect/classy player.

Why keep them?

Pippo is clearly not even considered as a peripheral option by Allegri. Why give him an extenstion to spend another season warming up and never coming on?

Zambrotta also, I am one who still beleives that he's a better defender than Antonini and Mesbah. But clearly there is a reason why he's not playing, a reason as to why Allegri will most likely switch Antonini to the right side next Saturday instead of going for the easier option and replacing Abate with Zambro. Why extend a contract for him to stay on the bench for another year? He's clearly not considered as a viable option.

Seedorf, usually the fittest person from the oldies, a player who rarely got injured has spent this season in and out of the treatment room. He can't even offer his contribution when our first choice creator is not available. Montolivo will be coming in this summer to provide cover for Aqui. Why renew with Seedorf when he's clearly not up to the task anymore?

Don't get me started on Ambro and his pea-brained decisions on the pitch. He's the reason why we have one foot out of the Coppa Italia to those dirty zebras. Sometimes when I watch him I wonder why he just doesn't pull on the shirt of our opponents in the first place.

Rino is a lost cause. They don't even know what they're doing with him and his issues. Add to that the fact that he's not getting any younger and hasn't played any football in months and I really don't see the logic in signing him on for another season.

Finally, we cannot forget that all of these players are on high wages. Galliani complains and complains about the players wages and how much of a financial strain they are on the club, yet we're keeping these guys who offer us nothing on the pitch for their ridiculously high wages. I mean most of them are on a better wage than Pato, Aqui, Nocerino, Abate, etc FFS!!

Renewing with them just does not make any sense

As part of the deal, yes, which would be insane.

Yeah, that's why I said our money and our players.

Astori would come for free. So I'd take him instead of Yepes.