GdS: Allegri wants 23-man squad at Milan – the eight players who can leave

Massimiliano Allegri wants the AC Milan squad to be trimmed down, and there are eight players who have their bags packed.

La Gazzetta dello Sport writes that there are a few too many lockers at Milanello this year. Without European competitions to play in, Allegri has indicated that a squad of 22-23 players will be sufficient, including goalkeepers. Thus, there are plenty who can leave.

Emerson Royal

When he arrived, he started well, displacing Davide Calabria. Milan had pursued him hard and brought him in after lengthy negotiations with Tottenham. However, the Brazilian struggled extensively, leaving a sense of unreliability despite some decidedly solid performances.

Luck didn’t help him: a torn calf sidelined him for three and a half months, but in reality the Rossoneri had already sent him to Galatasaray before the injury stopped the deal. The situation hasn’t changed: Emerson isn’t in the plans, and Real Betis are keen. A permanent sale is ideal, but a loan with obligation or option may have to do.

Malick Thiaw

It is now more likely that Thiaw will stay than the opposite, but the Rossoneri are absolutely open to a departure. In fact, at club level, it was practically all set with Como, which had €25m ready for the German.

However, the ex-Schalke man declined the offer, preferring to wait for a possible approach from a club playing in Europe. At one point, the Bayer Leverkusen option seemed viable, but then it cooled off. There has been some interest from England, but the situation remains fluid.

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Yunus Musah

Musah was one of the very first to be told that the club intended to focus on other midfield players. A move to Napoli for €25m (a capital gain for Milan) seemed all set, but then Anguissa – who appeared destined to leave – stayed with Antonio Conte.

The deal, which was practically a done deal, fell apart overnight. The US international remains on the market, though, and Tare himself clarified the matter: “We’re looking for players with different characteristics.”

Ismael Bennacer

Milan were hoping Marseille would buy Bennacer, but that didn’t happen: the Algerian’s six-month stay in France was too mixed. The Ligue 1 side informed the Rossoneri that they wouldn’t pay the agreed-upon €12m buy-out fee, but they would consider a lower price.

Simone Inzaghi and Theo Hernandez’s Al-Hilal have come forward. This is the solution Milan are pushing for because it would be a sale. Recently, there’s also been talk of Stefano Pioli’s Fiorentina, though his €4m net salary is a problem.

Tommaso Pobega

The same applies as with Musah: Allegri wants players with certain characteristics, and in any case, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is in the squad, who partially mirrors Tommaso’s profile.

Bologna have not exercised the €12m buy-out option they had as part of their loan, but he could head back to the Rossoblu for a figure of no more than €10m, a pure capital gain for Milan.

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Yacine Adli

Adli’s is certainly the most sensational case because, unlike Bennacer and Pobega, the management decided to send him to Milan Futuro. Obviously, the Frenchman won’t play in Serie D, but the message he received needs no interpretation.

He also returned to the club after a loan deal with a €10.5m option to buy which Fiorentina did not exercise. However, he doesn’t appear destined to return to Florence and has turned down Spartak Moscow. For now, he’s under Oddo’s orders, waiting for a suitable opportunity to arise.

Samuel Chukwueze

To think that one year, during the preseason tour, Chukwueze had started like a rocket. He finally seemed to be the Villarreal version but instead it was a flash in the pan. The Nigerian faded along the way and found less and less playing time, confirming a marked tendency towards inconsistency.

The fact that Allegri asked Saelemaekers to stay at Milanello virtually puts an end to any ambitions: the Belgian and Pulisic are the right wingers in the squad. A new destination is being sought: Real Betis, in addition to Emerson Royal, has also inquired about him.

Noah Okafor

The Swiss international returned from his loan spell at Napoli wearing the Italian champion’s stripes, but he didn’t leave a lasting impression, so to speak. The Azzurri had acquired him from Milan in the winter transfer window but never thought about using the €23.5m option to buy.

Milan would like to cash in on the former RB Salzburg man through a permanent transfer. Among the possible destinations, Besiktas have been the main club mentioned.