Franck Kessie has been one of Atalanta’s young standout performers this season, and it looks as though he’s on his way to AC Milan. (Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)
According to reports, Milan has already secured three signings and they’re on the hunt for more. Could the Chinese be the turning point for the Rossoneri?
The Signings
According to various reports, Milan has already acquired the service of Mateo Musacchio, Ricardo Rodriguez, and Franck Kessie. These are three high-quality players, and the total fee for all three players is rumored to be around €60 million, a steal for three players of this caliber. Milan seems to finally be addressing their needs rather than going for the cheapest deals, and these defensive and midfield reinforcements are exactly what Milan has needed for years. Mateo Musacchio h
Mateo Musacchio is a centre-back for Villarreal, and his transfer fee is rumored to be €15 million. The defender has been linked with Milan for what seems like forever, and the Rossoneri seem to have finally secured a deal with both the club and the player to bring him to Milan. It’s a much-needed signing as he’ll most likely slot into the lineup next to Romagnoli, replacing Zapata and Paletta and bringing more depth to the defense.
Ricardo Rodriguez is Wolfsburg’s left back, and he could be the replacement for De Sciglio, who is expected to depart, possibly to fellow Serie A club, Juventus. For €18 million, it’s a stellar signing, and the Swiss has been one of Wolfsburg’s best players in recent years, second only to Kevin De Bruyne, who joined Manchester City just a couple of years ago.
Franck Kessie, a young midfielder, has been stellar for Atalanta as evident in his domination over the Milan midfield in their recent game, and at only 20 years of age, he has a bright future ahead of him. The Ivorian is a powerful midfielder, and Milan seems to have won his signature over other clubs such as Man Utd and Chelsea for the price of €28 million. Hopefully, he won’t be a flop like Bertolacci or Kondogbia, and he’ll provide a strong midfield presence for the Rossoneri.
The Prospects
It seems as though that’s not all the new Chinese ownership have in store for Milan. There have been rumors of reinforcements in attack as well. Here are some of the prospects:
Balde Keita has impressed for Lazio in recent weeks, and interest in the forward continues to grow as he racks up more great performances. Lolito doesn’t seem to want to sell to Juventus, and his relationship with Fassone could prove vital as Milan attempt to sign the Senegalese player. However, the Rossoneri could always opt to keep Niang or Deulofeu instead.
Which striker to choose? It’s a big dilemma, but there seem to be three possible targets.
One is Andrea Belotti, second top goalscorer in the Serie A and avid Rossoneri fan. It would be great if Il Gallo could come to Milan, but it looks as though he’ll come with a steep price tag, somewhere around €70-80 million. It might not be the best deal for Milan to shell out so much money, especially when Belotti has yet to prove himself consistently, and Milan don’t want to sign another Vardy.
Another is Prince-Emerick Aubameyang, one of the best strikers in world football, current Borussia Dortmund forward, and a product of Milan’s youth academy. Milan has to be kicking itself for selling him for €2 million when he now comes with a price tag in the €70 million range. The Gabon striker has voiced interest in returning to Milan, but the move could be thwarted by Chinese interest, who have been rumored as to offering the forward a €50 million salary, one that would make him the highest paid footballer in the world.
The last, and most realistic, is Alvaro Morata. Since arriving back at Real Madrid, the Spaniard hasn’t seen much playing time, and Milan would be the perfect place to rediscover his form and prove himself ahead of the 2018 World Cup. He performed extremely well at Juventus, and it seems as though the Serie A playing style suits him well. It’ll be interesting to see how negotiations develop, but they’ll have to wait until after the Champions League final, at least.
Whatever happens, Milan’s new ownership has proven that they mean business, making changes that have needed to be made for several years now and making actual progress, something Milan fans haven’t seen much of in the last five years. So as a Milan fan, I’d like to thank Fassone and Mirabelli for making these deals possible, and I hope for more signings to happen later on in the future.
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
