Leao will start simply because we have no one else to pair with Piatek, unless we also sign Correa.

And Bennacer is a sure starter. Given what I've seen of him, his superb performance at the Africa Cup and the comments I've read, I'm expecting great things from him.



Monaco splashed 60M for Falcao, not exactly spare change. Moutinho cost 25M, but in 2013 that was easily the equivalent of, what, 35-40M right now? They also signed James for 70M during that summer. Monaco isn't exactly the perfect example to prove your point.

Nowadays everyone costs, a lot. An unproven youngster like Leao costs 30M, a more well-known one like Correa costs 50M, and a proven and experienced player costs much, much more. We're simply outclassed in this aspect.

Our potential line-up for next season according to Gazzetta:



Bit of a shot in the dark there with Correa as trequartista...

Duarte and not Musacchio? This is hilarious. Won't even comment.

Yes, Monaco spent much during that summer but those were just examples. If we have the money to bring a complete unknown quantity like Leao for more then 30 million, we should be able to sign someone like A. Witsel who signed for Dortmund for 20 million. Again, perhaps Falcao wasn't a good example but you know what I meant anyway

And what... you think we'll start the season with 2 strikers and zero subs? I don't think so. I really think Leao has been signed as kind of a multiple option player or versatile striker. But I think what we need now is a older and solid backup striker. Also - I fear that we are relying too much on Piatek. If only we had someone like Dzeko or Immobile who could pull this off. With Piatek I'm unsure.

Right now we have Leao, Piatek, Silva and Borini. But Silva will definitely leave (I read earlier that negotiations with Monaco might restart) so here's to hoping we sign Correa as well.

Regardless, I'm a fan of this new appoach. Talented and promising youngsters so we might build a future upon them.

More indications that Biglia could be out. Free transfer to Genoa, looks like (link).

Last I've seen is that Milan wants a fee.

@X-O: why do you have to be so black and/or white? I'm not against it, but if someone (like Zapata) is good or serves a purpose, I'm all against shipping him off just because he's 30+ or 28+ or whatever the demarcation is.

And for the last time I repeat: young and talented players - yes. No experienced players at all? No, I don't think this is the way to achieving something. Especially with that kind of coach.

As for the strikers, Silva is as good as gone. So we have Piatek and Leao as starters and Borini as backup. If Piatek gets injured we're f@cked and down the drain goes everything. Perhaps even with Correa.

I was not happy with Zapata (or Abate) leaving either, so why do you say I'm being black and white? I'm just saying that having a project with the focus on talented youngsters rather than on free agent and old has-been's like in the Galliani days is a good direction.



You tend to do this. You exaggerate when you're being negative. If Piatek gets injured, we'll still have Correa-Leao, with Borini or even Suso in case of emergency as back-ups. So, how exactly would we be f@cked?

Well...

Firstly, you say I'm not fair when judging you for having a black & white perspective. Then you bring in Galliani. Where did I exactly say we have to be like Galliani and bring in has-been's and freebies? I said our teams lacks experience which is dangerous considering the overall constellation.

Freebies can turn out great or bad: not every singing of a +30 player or a free agent has automatically to do with Galliani's thinking.

As for the second part - do I really exaggerate?? You're honestly bringing in Suso as an option? The guy can barely play a consistent season playing his best position. Now you would not only move him to AM but also try him as a striker in times of need? Correa is far from signed (Tottenham interest now), so all we have right now is a departing Silva and Leao, one of which should be a starter.

And again you're missing the bigger context. Giampolo's system thrives on dynamics and the striker pairing. Not only we don't know that Leao and Piatek will link, we also don't have any viable sub for Piatek who will be crucial to the new system. No, I really don't think this is something less important...

Also, consider the bigger picture. Inter just got stronger with Conte and their revamp, especially in defense. Juventus is piling up stars although I have my doubts considering Sarri - but they certainly don't look weaker. Roma is also doing everything to avoid last seasons scenario. Napoli will surely be much stronger in their second season under Ancelotti. Now let me ask you this: with our current signings and departures, are we much stronger then last season?

I didn't say you mentioned Galliani. I brought him up because we lived under his transfer management for many years, so that's my benchmark when comparing the new direction.



Suso is a forward. A winger, but still he plays in attack. So, I don't see how that is an exaggeration as an emegency 5th option in attack.

And as for you question, I certainly think so. What departures are you talking about? Zapata, Abate, Montolivo, Bertolacci, Jose Mauri and Cutrone? They were hardly part of our team last season, save for Cutrone, whom I don't rate at all.

So Morelos being looked at as a possible replacement for Silva. £15M.

correa link is back. Apparently his agent met us yesterday and we have agreed personal terms with him. He has also told Athletico that he only wants Milan. So sooner or later it is expected that we will sign him.

I don't know what to think about the transfer window until now. We're active, and we're bringing in young talent. However, I don't know all these players that we're bringing in. Except for Bennacer, who I've heard positive news about.

I think the squad is okay. It's well-balanced. But, I tend to agree with Pipo on the lack of experienced players there. If we could snatch someone like Modric that would be good. And, don't tell me we can't.. because we just splashed 35 mill on a youngster. I think we could land a deal a la Ronaldo with Madrid.

https://www.football-italia.net/141569/rafa...milan-sacrifice

Interesting read. I also don't think he will be a first team player directly.

In my opinion, we will try to ship off Andre Silva, and then buy Correa.

This would leave us with Piatek-Correa partnership in front with Leao being backup.

We could play something like this:


Donnarumma
Conti - Musacchio - Romagnoli - Theo/Rodriguez
Kessie - Bennacer/Biglia - Paqueta
Suso/Hakan
Correa(Leao) - Piatek/*

Watching man u vs milan. We just conceded. Defense was terrible

1-1 suso with a trademark goal


2-2 full time

Suso was very good. Worst player on the pitch was Musacchio. He's not to be considered a starter IMO.

I hear Kessie is wanted by Arsenal and Spurs but we set a hefty price tag. Also Hakan wanted by Galatasaray and Leipzig for 20M [FI/Milannews]. Thoughts?

Oh and yes, the Boban-Modrić story continues on in Croatian media.

Yeah, Suso has been really interesting in that AM position, If Giampaolo can manage to convert him into a trequartista successfully, we'd have that position set. Suso is so creative, his issue is pace, but maybe he can pull off the AM position better than the winger position under the guidance of the right coach

I think 40m is the right price for Kessie, if we can get that out of some gullible English club we should jump on it. I don't think he can evolve into the player we need him to be at this point

As for Hakan, I'd keep him. He's versatile, he's creative and he's a hard worker. I actually like him a lot, just wish he was more consistent

And honestly, can we really sell anymore mids? With talk of Kessie and Biglia being on the market if we manage to sell them, I don't understand how we can replace them adequately at this stage of the window


Re Modric, is there anyone reliable in Croatia who's saying this could happen? Because to me it's pure fanatasy football stuff at this point

Bennacer made official this morning btw

I'm really liking the new social media stuff from the official club pages, we're finally in the 21st century

Cutrone had to be sacrificed to fund the Leo transfer. Leo is a great partner for Patrik, he is tall, has good skills and can create space. I like it already.

Bennacer is an excellent purchase as well, Milan have done two good moves there.

Think this season will be one where Milan is finally challenging for a 2nd or 3rd place on the podium. Not taking anything away from Napoli, inter, Roma or Lazio; but Milan finally seem to have a strong squad to challenge for the same.

Hmm, I don't think we're as good as Napoli or Inter.

Add to that those teams have kept the core group of players relatively the same, especially Napoli, while we're once again undergoing a lot of changes, not to mention a coach who has a style of play that none of our players are used to playing

Cutrone was sacrificed. don't know if I'm really all that happy about it either, I don't know enough about Leao to make that determination. I think it's pretty clear at this point that we're going after players who could have potentially high resale value.

Still, I think for us to be sure things for a top 4 finish, we need another mid and a proper SS who can support Piatek.

Correa talks have died down, while we're not linked to any midfielders with the type of profile we need. If Suso is going to be our starting AM that sloves things a bit, but I don't think relying on that would be a smart strategy for us as it could easily backfire.

Right now, Paolo and Boban really have to concentrate on selling as well. Especially Silva, this is the last summer we could potentially get decent money from his sale. Another bad year and we won't be able to get anything substantial out of him.

I really don't think we need to sign a trequartista. We practically have Suso, Hakan, Paquetà and even Bonaventura who can play that role. Right now our focus should be a RCM and another striker.

Glad to read that Suso played well vs United. How did the team as a whole play?

Naah man, none of the mentioned players is a true trequartista. Bonaventura is a question mark, coming from a long injury. Hakan and Suso are completely unreliable. Paqueta is also not a treq.

But right now this is not our top priority. If Correa is really out of the picture, we need to find a new target ASAP. We also need a deep lying midfielder, especially is Kessie and Biglia are gone.

Oh, and as for the game... we still need practice and we need to catch up on Giampaolo's ideas. Some players reacted well, others not so.

Jeez, you're a perfectionist, aren't you? People adapt, football players are versatile. We have four players who CAN play that role and yet you're not convinced, when there are more pressing areas that need attention.

I think, should we sell Kessie and sign a proper replacement, alongside another quality striker (Correa?), then we're more than competitive to play for the top 4 position.

I don't understand Italian journalists. The stuff I read today, whether Giampaolo will prefer Biglia or Bennacer, or that if Correa comes he will play as trequartista (when the guy is clearly a striker...

Wow, give the trequartista nonsense a rest will ya! All of you. They don't exist in football any more!

None of the players we have nor the ones we are linked with are Trequesta material. That said, Giampaolo could create something similar with Paqueta or Suso in a 4-3-1-2 formation.

I can not say more on that, as it is Giampoalo that will decide how to proceed and who to employ in the slot behind the strikers.

CC han, I did say I'm not taking anything away from the usual suspects, but I do see Milan challenging for a 2nd or 3rd place finish. So much so that I am finally renewing my cable tv subscription for this seasons Serie A. I hope it will be a good omen.

Forza Milan!

Well, if you're playing 4-3-1-2, you can't exactly play Cutrone as AM now can you?

And who the hell even plays 1-2 these days?

Who plays two strikers and a man behind? I literally can't think of a single team who does that now.

Dude, we ARE! Giampaolo plays 4-3-1-2. Suso is being used a trequartista behind the two strikers.

I was recently telling my friend this... It's a lot more engaging and interactively styled. Gets fan more involved with the team, rather than just on the pitch. Hope they can manage to keep it up throughout the season as say the EPL clubs and such do. Juventus had a mini documentary series on Netflix a time. Would love if we became relevant enough again for something of that sort... Anyhow, baby steps lol.

I'm feeling pretty optimistic as well. We've had some really bad luck last season... Caldara, Bonna, Conti, Strinic, and those were just the injuries of exceptional length. Sure we can have a stroke of bad luck again, but I'm hoping the tides can turn a bit. Not to mention that two of our best players last season only came in January. If we manage to keep the momentum in the transfer market going and no big exits without a suitable replacement, I think we have good reason to be optimistic.

But in all honesty, the 1-2 does seem antiquated. I hope it works. You never know... there was a time almost no team played with wingers.

Maybe I should have prefixed 'team' with 'credible'.

I actually like having it but no one uses it. That we are is... well doesn't that sum us up these days

Milan was one of the toughest teams out there with a 4-3-1-2 (sometimes diamond and at times Christmas tree) formation-back in the day ... it might be dated, but it is down to the coach and ultimately if the team jells to the formation.

Its reported Suso could move to France this summer ... I hope he does (along with Silva) and make way for a star player.

I've been against 4-3-1-2 from the start, but that's going to be our formation under Giampaolo, so we might as well get used to it.

True, but bear in mind with midfields and flanks being so dominant now, going two up front and sacrificing a man in midfield and the flanks makes us vulnerable.

It's not a good way to move forward.

In short, we'll be outnumbered.

Bennacer

Yeah man, we have Bennacer and Paquetà, both pretty good playmakers and creators. Suso as AM. We only need a good box-to-box mid, obviously Kessie being our option at the moment. But he's just not good enough. Unless we want to count Krunic as a starter...

How's Biglia gone?

He meant "if". Biglia and Kessie are apparently on the market.

Ah got it. Sorry for my being miles out of the loop the past few months, my passion for Milan, while not and never gone, definitely dimmed.

Seeing the current state of this once-glorious club really is depressing.

But when you think about it, we're in better shape now than 4-5 years ago, when we were finishing 10th in the league.

Last season we missed the CL for one point, our best result since 2013.

And I am hopeful for next season.

Yes... This!

Let's Go!!! Forza Milan

I really don't get the optimism around here. Yes, we're better off now then 4 years ago finishing 10th. We're also much worse then 7 years ago when we finished 2nd. Nowadays we only can dream about contesting the scudetto. We have a team with what, 2-3 max players who even once experienced CL football?

We signed okay players, nothing more. No marquee signing, no experience added and the crucial components still missing. Sorry, I don't see much room for optimism, only a lot of shots in the dark but then again hardly any of those can make us considerably better to pull through and secure us the 4th spot in a league that isn't exactly competitive. Think outside the borders of Serie A for a moment: teams from Spain and England are miles away from and team bar Juventus. German teams who are in a constant decline are also much better.

To put it simply - too many factors and too much changes has to happen in order for Milan to become relevant again.

Fillipo, you always talk as if we're still this great club that's having a number of bad seasons and needs to get back on track.

No, we're not a great club anymore. Context. Perspective. Italians use the word "ridimensionati", which literally translates to resized. We haven't played in the CL for 6 frigging years! So, given the circumstances, and given how we performed last season missing 4th place by a single point, I personally have to say that we've gotten stronger this summer and that I'm optimistic for a CL position next season.

Who even thinks about contesting the Scudetto for crying out loud!