Milan will refresh their lines in the summer as many players that carried the club for years are leaving – players like Gennaro Gattuso, Alessandro Nesta, Filippo Inzaghi and probably Clarence Seedorf too.

The Rossoneri have already confirmed the signings of Bakaye Traoré from Nancy and Riccardo Montolivo from Fiorentina and Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri says how he intends to use his squad next year.

"Montolivo can play in front of the defence or on either side in a 3-man midfield. He could revive the regista position," he said. "The alternative to the regista position is Muntari. Traoré will play on one of the sides in the midfield. Emanuelson will play as a left back next year. He could grow and develop well in that position.

"De Sciglio is ‘da Milan’ (Milan quality) and he can play both as a right and as a left back. The next season will be great for Mexes. I’m sure that he will perform well. Boa or Robinho will be used as the trequartista.

"The squad next year will consist of 25 players and I hope that our head athletic trainer, Daniele Tognaccini, will stay. Tognaccini (whose contract ends this summer) has been here for 14 years and has done a great job. If he doesn’t stay here, then we will still be in good hands. With the departure of all these players, Milan have lost quantity, quality and moral values. But we will continue to have clear rules in the changing room.

"Next year we will start over with Ibra, Boateng and Thiago Silva. There is no danger that they will leave. We will be counting a lot on Pato next season. He had a sabbatical year due to all these injuries. Robinho to be sacrificed? At the moment no one is in danger of being sacrificed. My future? I’m 100% sure I’ll stay."

Milan’s rating from La Gazzetta dello Sport for the 2011/2012 season (screenshot from La Gazzetta dello Sport)
Milan’s season was rather a disappointment as they finished it without winning any trophy – they lost the Scudetto to Juventus and got knocked out of the Champions League after the legs with Barcelona in the quarter finals.

"How I would rate this season for Milan? I would give it a rating of 6,5. We were at a rating of 8 before the Barça matches and after that only a 5, in my opinion," the former Cagliari Calcio boss added. In order to stay at Milan for a long time, you need technical and physical qualities as well as great moral qualities.

"It won’t be easy to replace these champions that have now left Milan. A player like Alessandro Nesta is born every 50 years. Along with Franco Baresi, Nesta is the best defender in the history of football. Filippo Inzaghi is a monster. He knows the characteristics of every single defender in Serie A. Even vs. Novara, Inzaghi knew perfectly well what he had to do in order to put the defenders in difficulty. I preferred not to talk much after the Novara match, because it was a day that was dedicated to the players leaving Milan."

Allegri, who also said "Mario Balotelli has to mature" when asked about the prospect of the troublemaker joining Milan, will now be on a vacation before trainings for the next season resume on the 8th of July.

Do we have the players for a 3-man defense?

We definitely did with Nesta and it wouldn't be the worst idea to try something like that given our fullbacks inability to defend.

My personal preference is a 4231, with Ibra upfront supported by Robi and Cassano.

My personal preference is a 4231, with Ibra upfront supported by Robi and Cassano.

My personal preference is a 4231, with Ibra upfront supported by Robi and Cassano.

I see no chance of getting Tevez. Keeping in mind his wages and possible transfer fee.

So, from the dog's mouth, it seems we're looking at:

-----Ibra/Tonio/Pato-----Pato/Tonio-----

--------------Prince/Robbie--------------

--Noce/Monty---Monty/Ambro/Sulley----Traore

Urby----------Silva--------Mexes-----------Abate

-------------------||ABBIATI||----------------------


Bench:SeS, De Sciglio, Bonera,Flamini,Merkel, Strasser,Amelia

Coz at that time he was an outcast...footballing poison who no one wanted to touch and we thought we would let Pato go to PSG.

Then Man City put their foot down and nothing happened.

Today he is the premier league winner and the team is happy paying him 200k a week while he is happy to be back in everyone's plans.

Now Ancelotti said they're going to try for Pato again this summer, and Galliani has great relations with Tevez, who probably wouldn't mind playing alongside Ibra in one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. I can see it happening.

I don't think Pato is going anywhere this summer. Allegri said we're counting on him a lot next season, the club said they're absolutely determined to solve his problem and that he'd be back stronger than ever, blah blah etc. etc.

They can't say those words and next ship him out for $$$. they know they should take responsibility for what's happened to him. I think they will give it another chance.

Yes, this season was a disaster, but I'd gladly take the Pato of last season (2010-11) and the seasons before, with all the injuries, over a healthy Robinho any day. nevermind a healthy Pato.

You believed that in January as well. I don't think those words count little to nothing (especially that statement). speak for yourself.

The decision not to sell him will prove to be a masterstroke one day. you heard it here first

Bottom line is they didn't sell him, I don't know how that means you were right when they made a move that meant they still believe in Pato.

The decision not to sell him will prove to be a masterstroke one day. you heard it here first

And I was right. Pato was 99% a PSG player and Tevez was 99% a Milan player. You can't deny that. It was a last minute decision that turned everything.

Wow...you really do have a reality distortion field. So if a suspended player who throws a tantrum decides he will play at another team...he is 99% the other teams player? The fact is we were tapping him up and if we were in England we might even have been sanctioned.

And as for Pato...PSG made a great offer that had to be thought about. As opposed to say Barca with their 25 for Silva...which doeant require a second look. They thought about it and said no. It's part and parcel of daily business.

Milan reject Pato proposal
By Football Italia staff

Milan have rejected the idea of loaning injury-prone Alexandre Pato to Corinthians. “He is staying with us 100 per cent.”

Brazilian media suggested Pato would return to his homeland for a year to recover from the numerous muscular problems that have badly affected his season.

“Milan will not negotiate for Pato on a loan deal or a permanent transfer,” Vice-President Adriano Galliani told Lancenet.

“The player is staying with us 100 per cent. He will remain next season and recover here with Milan. That is certain.”

However, Pato’s agent was not so quick to close the door on Corinthians, especially as the striker has fallen out of favour with the Seleçao.

“Corinthians are a great team,” said Gilmar Veloz. “We will wait to see how the situation evolves and let the player prepare for the Olympics in London, then we’ll decide what to do.”

Of course, those words count for little to nothing. surely Pato will be sold to PSG and Tevez will be signed instead.

Wow...you really do have a reality distortion field. So if a suspended player who throws a tantrum decides he will play at another team...he is 99% the other teams player? The fact is we were tapping him up and if we were in England we might even have been sanctioned.

And as for Pato...PSG made a great offer that had to be thought about. As opposed to say Barca with their 25 for Silva...which doeant require a second look. They thought about it and said no. It's part and parcel of daily business.

Tevez's preferred choice would be AC Milan but Al-Mubarak criticised both the club and their vice-president Adriano Galliani, saying the Italians' discussions with Tevez and his advisers had been "premature".

"As things stand, AC Milan are not an option for Carlos," said Al-Mubarak, who will only let Tevez go for £25m, plus add-ons.

Speaking publicly on the subject for the first time, Al-Mubarak told the National newspaper in Abu Dhabi : "If they want to be a
consideration in this transfer window, they would do better to stop congratulating one another and begin to look at how they would meet our terms.

"Unless we receive an offer we deem appropriate, the terms of his contract will be enforced.

"Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain approached discussions with us in good faith. It is always a positive experience to deal with people with a professional approach."

My question exactly. Where were you in January?

Definitely sounds like he was 99% ours. Actually I'll go with 99.9% .

Dude, where were you in January? I'm not inventing any of that, it was reported everywhere. Galliani was in London to close the deal with City, Pato had to decided to sign for PSG. Then Berlusconi barged in and aborted everything, supposedly because he wasn't satisfied with the quality/price rapport.

If Pato really wanted to go, Berlu wouldn't have stopped the deal. we don't keep players against their wishes. so yes, I think he wanted to stay as well.

I'm saying that based on the words of the media and Mr. Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva himself.

Are you telling me Pato wanted to go but Berlu didn't let him? BS.

Pretty much. To sell Pato for Tevez doesn't make sense even from the financial perspective, forget team-spirit and all that.

Plus we have the word from Galliani that the only reason the transfer was even thought of was coz of the Cassano injury and because we weren't sure if Tonio would ever play again. That was a huge risk. Now I'm glad.

I'd take Cassano anyday over Pato. And I have to believe Pato will be well again next season. He needs to be treated next season like SeS was. No stress, no pressure, just get back into the groove.

And I'm not glad about it. What has Pato done for us in 2012? Nothing! What has Tevez done in 2012 for City? Obviously a lot more! So I don't see how you can be glad about it now, and keeping Pato is a huge risk as well if anything. He keeps on getting injured. And good for you that you're hopeful with him, others like me are not.

Look,I can accept that you perhaps prefer the playing style of someone like Tevez over Pato.

I'm going with the gazzeta link since that is the ony official source. It states the following:

1. Galliani was in Man City
2. Pato's final offer had been thought fit by Milan, but they only needed to see if the player was ready to move. This has for the past few years been the policy. We do it with Sheva, Kaka and now Pato.
3. Pato turned down the offer.
4. Therefore hypothetically we didn't have money to pay City.

The gazzeta article was on January 12. My article which you state as old, was from the BBC and dated 25th January.

Anyway I'm tired of this discussion. You're going to insist your hypothesis is correct, while I will not agree. So leave it.

FWIW, I'm glad Pato is here instead of Tevez.

Are you telling me Pato wanted to go but Berlu didn't let him? BS.

So, you basically agreed with what I've been saying. Pato was very close to being a PSG player and Tevez was very close to being a Milan player. That's all I needed to know. Thanks.

Hee..let's say it is complicated.

But I was fairly correct. I wasn't having a "reality distortion field" or anything. You guys were speaking as if I was making things up. That's not cool.

Not great when folk deny you your right to an opinion is it?

Allegri on Milan 2012-13
By Football Italia staff

Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri wants a reduced squad at San Siro next season – but one that includes Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Both players have been linked with exits over recent weeks, with Manchester City apparently interested in the duo.

Allegri, though, has insisted that his plans for 2012-13 include the Brazilian stopper and the Swedish striker.

“Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva will stay,” the former Cagliari boss told Milan Channel.

“The club and especially the President want to maintain the team at its high levels. Ibra and Thiago are two champions, a base on which the club can build a future on.”

Reports had suggested that Ibra was looking for a switch because of his relationship with the tactician.

“Ibra is not aching to leave,” Allegri continued. “He is happy in Rossonero. You can have discussions and an exchange of ideas over the course of a season. But he’s a champion and I want to train champions.”

Milan will make changes this summer as a host of veteran players have left, while Riccardo Montolivo and Bakaye Traorè have already come in.

“We had 33 players in the squad this season, but that was because we had to make some adjustments in January because of injuries.

“We’ll have a 25-26 man squad, including three goalkeepers, for the new season.

“Montolivo? Riccardo can play right in the centre of midfield, or just off centre. Traorè has excellent qualities. He is a player who breaks into attack well and he has legs. He can do a lot more.”