We are even linked with Fred

If we're going be cheap. Let's just sign all of Udinese's scouting staff. At least then we can get some young quality player on the cheap.

Lestienne has some great stats and looks pretty good on youtube as well, although that's not a great point of reference.

We only have a week left, we absolutely must sign a midfielder or 2 the rest I don't care all that much about, if we have a good, creative and flowing midfield, the goals will come, no matter who we have upfront.

I'm very happy that we're seemingly not going to be wasting any money on Cerci, that's a relief.

Reports also that Mexes could be on his way out, which is a mistake imo to keep Zapata over him, but a least our wage bill will look halfway accurate compared to the actual quality (or lack-there-of) that we have on the pitch

Zapata is a respectable 3rd CB. If Mexes doesn't want to reduce his wages I completely understand shipping him out. He's not that much better than our other options and his wages are way too high.

I don't think that's the case, Pippo prefers Zapata over him is what's being reported. Zapata though is a bit of a bumbling fool on the ball, how many times has he directly cost us a goal? Mostly because of his terrible positioning, or his even worse passing?

Mexes is the best CB in our bunch, yes he's earning an exorbitant amount of money, but that again circles to Galliani and his idiotic decisions. I think if he was offered a renewal with his wages spread over 2 or 3 years, he'd accept

Add to that, Zapata is worth more right now because of his decent showing at the WC and because Colombia were sort of the darling team of the tournament. It would be far more financially beneficial for us to sell Zapata for around 10m, and reduce Mexes's wages. We'd be keeping the better player, earning some good cash and reducing the wage bill by at least 4.5m

Reports that both Zaccardo and Agazzi rejected moves, Zaccardo to Genoa.

I mean WTF? Why do we keep having this problem? Are we too soft with these players?? Just threaten them with sitting out on the stands for the season and training on their own like other teams do, or just rescind Zaccardo's contract, let him find a team on his own.

I still cannot understand or comprehend why we even signed Zaccardo in the first place...

I don't think there's much we can do. If the don't wanna go, they can't. I'm not gonna encourage us to once again enter the dark zone and start forcing players out or something like that.

I don't really care, if we have to rescind their contracts to show them we're serious than just do it. They're ok with sitting their @sses on our bench and earning the money, so why should we act like gentlemen towards them?

Anyone know how long the contract we gave to Agazzi is or how much time left on Zaccardo's deal? I really hope that next summer we don't renew with guys like Bonera, Abbiati, etc it's time to cut the chord

It depends.

Look, we need a few of those players. I'd rather have Bonera sitting there then some other guy like Dainelli or Gamberini. That's our reality. We've been plagued with injuries for the last 2 seasons and if something didn't drastically change, we need some backup material. Now, if we cut the cord, like you suggest, with Bonera and Abbiati (who is really getting too old but still is okay as second IMO), we'll be once again forced to sign the next Agazzi or Zaccardo.

I don't see us changing the way Italy operates. The best would be to give some primaveras and younger players a chance instead of the Bonera's and Abbiati's. But that's simply not possible if you ask me: 1) Pippo knows who can or cannot play Serie A from our youth department, 2) we do not have that many youth talents judging from what we've done so far, 3) because things in Italy don't work that way - look at Jedvaj, he barely played in Roma, now he's doing a great job (so far) in Leverkusen were he's first team material.

So unless we change radically, I'd rather stick with Bonera and Abbiati who at least are capable of a great game once in a while, whereas players like Agazzi or Zaccardo can't manage even two solid outings in a row.

You have to remember that 99% of footballers are 100% motivated by money. They would rather earn their big wages not playing at Milan, than earn less playing elsewhere.

I think that`s true of older players in the twilight of their career....Certainly younger players want to play play play to increase their value and standing

It also depends really. Let's not make stereotypes.

Monaco rumoured to be wanting to loan Falcao out. Milan & Juve interested (GdS)

One needn't be too dismissive of tendencies. Who considers moves to China, the Gulf, the MLS, or various other markets (australia, India, Hungary...)? the 20-28s? No, it's those who can still command a good wage as a half-player, half-marketing tool for their club. I don't resent the players who choose these moves, nor the teams that want such marriages. My local Montreal Impact have made a slew of senatorial signings (Di Vaio, Ferrari, Nesta, Nelson Rivas, Ignacio Piatti...) All the fans know that the economic dimensional and, perhaps, to a lesser extent, the overall charm of the city allow us to retain these name-recognition players. No bones about it...

I was thinking more in terms of next season with Abbiati and Bonera, both are getting too old and mistake prone to even be 3rd choice imo

I only meant that we should use sterner methods with dead weights like Zaccardo, Agazzi, etc who are only with us to earn money even when they know they're not wanted

I know, but that's the definition of backup players. You'd get rid of Zaccard and Agazzi, I get that. But we'd still need backup material players, and I don't see us singing quality bench players like Real or PSG do.

In the end it's pretty much a never ending circle. We sign Mesbah, everyone is revealed we got rid of dead weight Antonini. Then we realize that Mesbah is even worse, and we want him out. Then comes Constant and the circle continues.

You know what? I'd keep Antonini. At least he's a Rossonero boy. Same for Albertazzi.

Albertazzi has looked bad when he's played, at least Antonini had one decent season with us. And was mostly hated because he wasn't a big name or flashy, he tended to makes a few errors here and there but nothing diabolical like a Zaccardo/Bonera level mistake.

And yeah, you're right about the never ending cycle, but that mostly has to with Galliani constantly searching around for freebies/cheapest options and a seriously lazy scouting system. There are so many good to decent players out there that could be signed for very reasonable prices and would be very useful to the team, it just always seems like we're never interested in these kinds of players. However, if there's an old has been to be had on ridiculously high wages we're the first ones on the scene

Anyway, I'll stop whining about it. De Jong being heavily linked to United again and get this we value him at JUST 12.5m euros, this while United are said to be desperate for him because LVG wants him badly

Good God. That would be... can't even find the words. On the other hand, his contract will run out come next season.

I don't see De Jong being sold. Honestly. Not unless he forces his way out. In which case we will sell.

Yes but United want him badly, the art of negotiating must be completely lost on Galliani when it comes to selling players, just set a high price if they really want him they bite, if not we'll keep him, simple as that


Well his contract runs out next season and so far he hasn't renewed, we cannot allow him to go for free, so if it comes down to it we should sell, but certainly not for some minimal sum like 12m!

How much can we charge for someone in his last year of contract especially since come December he can sign for free and we can't do anything about it after that?

United want him now, not in December, their season might already be over for them by then if they don't fix their situation. At least high ball it at 20m and see what they're willing to offer around that region, we've basically low balled a player sale by valuing him at just 12.5m

Like I said before, if we keep De Jong it's as big as a signing in itself. I don't expect to keep him beyond this window.

Yeah, but you act like he's the only DM on the planet. Sure, van Gaal wants him because he did him a good WC job. But hell, that doesn't mean they're gonna play hardball with us. They might bring in someone different and then just pick him up for free next season.

He's the only world class DM willing to be on the Milan planet.

We're being heavily linked with Destro. Thoughts? I wouldn't mind him at all.

Roma wanted about 25-30m for him yesterday, according to some reports. We won't pay that. There were also rumors that Roma will buy Martinez with that money if Destro leaves.

How would Destro tactically fit I wonder? We need a modern CF IMO, someone who isn't past his prime like Pazzo, who can contribute defensively and offensively and who has vision. I don't think this is what Destro brings exactly, but no, I wouldn't mind him as well.

De Jong might be sold tomorrow, or he might stay. The way things were going it was as if Balotelli was starting against Lazio; though he was destined for Liverpool since May. Galliani keeps his cards millimeters close like that.

Think Inzaghi will keep him, and if he does stay I think he will renew with us.

Wikipedia already has Destro as signed ha. I highly doubt it's correct because his page is screwed up. Someone editing badly I think.

You highly doubt it's correct? Of course it's not correct!

Destro isn't exactly your typical poacher à la Pazzini. He's more versatile, more mobile and has decent dribbling skills. I think he'd fit nicely in Pippo's 4-3-3.

The question is what De Jong wants. If he wants to move on to a better situation to a club with actual ambition then we will have no choice.

Then Essien takes on new importance. We would hope he can be our Van Bommel at CDM

Then we are fucked because Essien way past his prime. We can afford to lose De Jong, especially this late. Better pray that we somehow can convince him to resign.

Destro is totally a modern CF Fillipo. He can play as a SS also. He has shown that he can have some quality on a good day. But I still am not too excited about him because he is injury prone. I think he is not very consistent either.

Been heck of a busy recently, not up to speed.

If they don't want to negotiate then he stays, it's a win win for us, and if he does stay we make sure to renew with him during the season.

You never know, we could do well next season and could be in a position to finish in the CL places


I don't think he's what we need, he's a poacher more than anything else, yes he's fast and has a better skillset than old school poachers, but he still lives on service from the midfield, he has that in abundance at Roma, here that would totally dry up, we need someone who can create chances for himself and others, otherwise he'd struggle


Agreed with the first part


I don't think that's the case, he's someone who like to stay in the box a lot and poach in goals, as I mentioned above, yes he's more versatile and skilful than an old school poacher like Pazzo or Matri or Gila but at the end of the day he's still a poacher and needs service to score goals

Tuttosport saying that we could exchange Pazzo with Cerci + a bit of cash, they're usually a sh!tty publication but don't they tend to get things right when it comes to the Turin clubs?

We do not have bargaining power here, we could hold onto him against his own will and have him sit the stands. Then he walks away for free and not a 'meager' amount



Of course, I said that much in the post you decided not to quote

I don't like all this Destro talk

Roma want 25m for him, which is ridiculous to think considering we only got 20m for Balo who is twice as better. I don't think we'll be willing to pay that kind of cash, but I wouldn't put it past Galliani if we're still without a striker come the last day of the window, it's a typical panic buy from him.

I'd rather just sign a great CM and a winger (yes even Cerci at this point) and use a false #9 kind of system than waste that kind of money on a typical Italian poacher, Dortmund paid less for Immobile and he's better than Destro

Typical galliani, no focus....read somewhere that pazzo might be included in a cerci bid, matri is on loan, balo sold.....we'll probably get eto'o on a four year deal or we'll hear why sign a new striker to replace mario when we already have niang

Niang atm is a terrible finisher, you really can't rely on him for goals

But toally agree about the complete and utter direction or strategy, this summer stinks of a Riccardo Oliveira, Klaas Jan Huntelaar type of panic buy

No, it's the contrary. They invent all sorts of crap when it comes to the Turin clubs.

A lot of talk about Torres and Eto'o today. Jeez, do we even know what we're doing? It's like we're moving aimlessly like headless chicken.

More like casting out a huge net with bait and seeing which cheap/washed up fish bites first Typical Galliani

Found this on another board



I wonder what that is, to sit on their @sses for the rest of the week, drinking coacktails in Forte Dei Marmi doing nothing?

http://football-italia.net/54866/juve-make-shaqiri-offer

while we beg for cerci

Milan are speeding up their efforts to sign Torres, according to GdS.

Lestienne was signed by a group from Qatar they're ready to loan him out and Milan are first on the list, Biabiany is the alternative. #Sky

Didac Vila is moved to Eibar.

NOOOOOOO!!!!

At least Eto'o is definitely not on the cards, he's not what Pippo wants and he'll most likely sign for Everton.

Next bullet to dodge will be Torres, although I have a nasty feeling about him