These are exciting times for 2022 Scudetto winners AC Milan. I Rossoneri picked up their 19th title in superb fashion in May and they have new investors and some exciting transfer targets.
Now the money men just need to make it happen.
Having won the Serie A title for the first time in 11 years, Milan fans want to see their club invest, and in the next few weeks the news could be coming in thick and fast with incomings and at least one outgoing.
While city rivals Inter are concentrating on bringing Romelu Lukaku to the club, Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has multiple targets to work on with one nearing completion in Belgian striker Divock Origi.
The former Liverpool man will be the first signing since Redbird Capital Partners took over the San Siro giants, and the next piece of business could be to replace midfield ace Franck Kessie, who is leaving the club after five successful campaigns. His agent is lining up a deal to take him to Barcelona and the Ivory Coast star will leave a big hole in the Rossoneri midfield which needs to be filled.
The name most closely linked is that of Lille attacking midfielder Renato Sanchez, though that wouldn’t be a like for like replacement. While Kessie is a box-to-box player and great at breaking up play and distributing the ball, the young Portugal star isn’t as strong defencively. But as a creative ball player and a skilful dribbler, he can make things happen for the strikers.
Milan are also monitoring another young attacking midfielder, Club Brugges’ 21-year-old star Charles De Ketelaere. He scored 18 goals and made 10 assists last season and he could fit nicely into the No. 10 role.
In Milan’s defencive group, a long injury to centre-back Simon Kjaer last term stretched Pioli’s resources and, at 33, the Danish rock may find it more difficult to recover.
While he is hopeful of playing his part, Kjaer needs cover and there could be a ready-made replacement in the shape of Sanchez’ Lille teammate, Sven Botman.
The former Ajax youth product has an offer from moneybags Newcastle United who have offered riches to the player and a huge £46-M to his club, but Botman would prefer a move to Milan and is waiting for the Rossoneri to up their offer, though they won’t match the Magpies’ pitch.
Milan’s football directors Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara are skilled negotiators and, quite often, deals aren’t announced until they are pretty much done and dusted so fans can expect the unexpected in the coming weeks.
And one deal is almost there.
Liverpool striker Divock Origi is ready to take a medical at the San Siro after his contract at Anfield expired. The Belgian striker scored 41 goals in 175 appearances for the Reds with many of them from the bench, and he us much loved by head coach Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool fans – not least for his habit of scoring crucial goals in the Mersey derby.
But his chances are limited among a star-studded Anfield attack and he is ready to try his luck in Italy.
Keeping hold of Rafael Leao
The pre-season Serie A 2022 betting odds make it a three-way race for the title between the two Milan clubs and Juventus with Napoli on the fringe.
Here at SBOTOP, we judged the Italian league to be the most exciting over the past two seasons. And in the last campaign, the form of Milan’s Rafael Leao was one big reason for a Rossoneri triumph.
2021/22 was the 23-year-old’s best campaign in the Red and Black as he scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists and Pioli is determined to keep hold of his valuable asset.
Newcastle United have been sniffing around and, of course, have offered to quadruple his wages, but they will need to do more than that to attract players who are ready to grace the Champions League.
Leao has become a megastar in Milan and he is not ready to move, so Milan must do all they can to keep him happy.
New home for Milan?
The big Serie A 2022 news coming out of Milan this month was the takeover of the Rossoneri by Redbird Capital Partners, a US-based investment group. And as well as investing on the pitch, the Americans are planning to build a brand new home for the Milan giants.
Redbird’s Gerry Cardinale said: “A brand of this scale, like AC Milan, should have infrastructure that is indicative of its football prowess and global potential. We’ve had a lot of experience with stadium projects in the US, Milan and Italy deserve a world-class stadium that houses the best entertainment on a global scale.” Milan fans love the San Siro so if they do move to a new stadium, it better be good.
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