CM: Milan hunting for a deputy to Saelemaekers – the two names most admired

After securing the signing of Niclas Füllkrug from West Ham, AC Milan are now looking to reinforce the options out wide, a report claims.

According to Calciomercato.com, Zachary Athekame has not impressed so far. The Swiss defender, acquired in the summer from Young Boys for €10m plus a 10% resale clause, has seen very little action which suggests a lack of trust from Massimiliano Allegri.

Across the league, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, Athekame has only managed just under 200 minutes (including the equalising goal against Pisa), too few to consider him a real alternative to Alexis Saelemaekers.

The Belgian, on the other hand, has already racked up over 1,900 minutes, which is why he’s clearly been short of breath in recent weeks. He’s lost his edge, but he can’t rest because those behind him aren’t guaranteed the same level of performance.

The possibility of bringing in a new face in the winter is complicated, but not impossible, especially if someone were to leave, such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images

Targets in mind

Allegri would like a player who is ready now, but he could opt for a young player who is already familiar with Serie A and has shown he can compete. Real Madrid’s Jesus Fortea is currently out of the question, while Girona’s Arnau Martinez and Sevilla’s Juanlu are off the table.

Dinamo Zagreb’s Moris Valinčic, who is also on Inter’s radar, has been linked with the move in recent weeks, but he’s not high on the list. Genoa’s Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Atalanta loanee Marco Palestra (at Cagliari) are also highly sought after, but both cost over €20m.

One player who won’t be heading to Milanello in January is Yunus Musah, whom Atalanta acquired from Milan in the summer on a €4m loan deal with a €26m option to buy. The American will stay in Bergamo until June, then things will be evaluated.