7 hours ago
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The summer window has been widely reviewed, and whether AC Milan did good or bad business depends on who you ask.
A summer of discourse is nothing new now for Milan; in fact, it is rather on brand. However, this summer took it to a new level. So many polarising opinions are flying about, and the Rossoneri will rely on time to see the answers.
Massimiliano Allegri and Igli Tare were tasked to bring together a new breath of air into the squad, and there is effectively a new squad compared to the one that started last season.
Suspicious summer
Football is a results business, and in the mercato, this only proves further. However, it adds another level to that business. On the pitch, the Diavolo have aims that they need to hit from a business perspective.
Then, the summer business needs to prove their worth is beyond what Milan paid. It is difficult, and the president of APA Milan, Giuseppe La Scala, spoke to Radio Rossonera about the squad and business.
“The sale of Reijnders is another sign of how AC Milan intends to become; that they should rebuild a player like him, not sell him off. They’re doing it so quickly, it’s suspicious… But we’ll see when the financial statements are published.
“With Reijnders sold, at least the midfield has been restructured in an interesting way: I’m happy Ricci came to Milan, I like him a lot, Jashari didn’t come cheap, and I think he’s another player who can perform well.
“Modric has been even better than anyone hoped; at 40, he moves like only champions can, and I hope he teaches the trade to those around him. Fofana has never disappointed, and Loftus-Cheek seems capable of recovery.
“These were the only positives, however: in defense, we sold Thiaw for the first decent offer, we got rid of Theo Hernandez, trusting that his decline was unstoppable, and at this point, we find ourselves with a frail defensive line, with three title-winning center-backs and De Winter, plus this German boy.
“At full-back, we are even frailer: on the left, there is the gamble of the Ecuadorian bullet with Bartesaghi behind; on the right, Saelemaekers, and behind him, who? Only this Swiss boy, about whom we know little.
“Up front, the operation was strange: I didn’t mention the Rabiot deal, which arrived at the last minute due to the well-known events with Marseille, because I consider it linked to the attack. The formation that Allegri envisioned, and the public distrust expressed by Tare regarding Gimenez, suggested that we would intervene to bring in a strong striker.
“Now we have four forwards for two spots, two of these—Leao and Pulisic—are the best players Milan has in the squad, and the other two—Nkunku and Gimenez—are the most expensive, along with Jashari, that Milan have bought in recent times. Of these four, two will play, and how will they play?
“In midfield, there are six players for three positions, and up front? Is Leao on the bench conceivable? Pulisic on the bench? I come to the final consideration: since the attacking side didn’t operate as Allegri wanted, they signed Rabiot.
“Above all, the coach has been left with the hot potato of making formation choices that are far from simple, and which risk getting him into trouble. The journalistic controversy through a third party in recent days has demonstrated this.
“The club is sending the incorrect message that they have increased the wage bill, and so now it’s up to the coach to make the most of the treasure placed in his hands. This isn’t the case; he wasn’t satisfied, and only Tare didn’t understand how he wanted to play, given that He said that in Lecce.
“I also like direct communication, it’s fine, but it needs to be a little more polite, and above all, Gimenez doesn’t seem like a particularly ‘hot’ profile to me. You tell him that before the match against Lecce, they disallowed a good goal for him. I felt a bit sorry for him, and I don’t know how much time he’ll get.
“I regret that our criticisms are prejudicial and not justified by unreserved faith. Unreserved faith in AC Milan is also manifested in recognizing and expressing disagreement with the direction the AC Milan owners have been taking in recent years. A direction that I, if I may use the term, call a ‘genetic mutation.’
“I repeat, the interests of the owners, who indeed have a majority stake, but also a huge pool of stakeholders, are no longer those of AC Milan and the AC Milan fans.
“This has been the case since Berlusconi stopped acting like Berlusconi, but since then we have no one who has considered the issue of doing what the Rossoneri fans want: an ownership that has respect for the history, legacy, and ambitions of a team like ours, which, even in a context of economic sustainability, cannot declare that its objective is fourth place.
“It’s a club that accustoms fans to seeing players with a yellow card around their necks: no one It’s essential. This goes against our spirit. Sustainability and the budget must be combined with sporting results, because at some point, the revenue runs out anyway.
“You do the bare minimum; when you don’t reach the Champions League, you sell someone, and everyone knows that even Leao and Pulisic, if they received a suitable offer, would be considered marketable.
“I also had the impression that the Tare-Allegri partnership, especially after Lecce, is less solid than it seemed. Tare is both a blow to the waist and a blow to the butt, with Allegri limiting himself to obvious considerations, while perhaps venting his discomfort to some journalists.
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