GdS: Strength in depth – Milan have around €200m of talent to call upon from the bench

AC Milan’s bench has been very thin in recent seasons, but now they possess the squad depth to offer different solutions during games.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport report, Milan’s big strength at the moment is in the dugout: Massimiliano Allegri. However, even a coach who has won six league titles among other trophies makes mistakes with starting line-ups, but he has the options to change things.

Strength in depth

A team’s value isn’t measured by the 11 players who take to the field, which often sparks heated discussions about who will be the starter and who will replace them. In today’s football, with five substitutions, there is the possibility of raising the level of performance even in the final half hour.

In short, a rather simple yardstick for judging a team’s level isn’t so much or only looking at the starting line-up, but in looking at who will be the next player on the bench. Milan against Napoli, for example, will have at least five options of the same calibre.

De Winter, Ricci, Loftus-Cheek, Nkunku and Leao should be on the bench, evenly distributed between defence, midfield and attack. Players who, more or less, cost or are valued at a combined €200m overall.

That’s without counting Jashari, for example, the most expensive signing – at a potential €39m – who is currently out injured but will be available again within a month at most.

Youthful energy

That’s not even counting some very interesting young players, like Athekame, or promising players such as Balentien or Odogu. Both have imposing physiques – over 1.90m tall – but above all a desire to grow and improve, and to convince Allegri.

There’s no doubt that Milan can and should hope to repeat the story of Mario Gila, acquired for €6m from Real Madrid’s youth system, developed slowly so as not to burn him out, and now considered one of the strongest defenders in Serie A.

All of these names will likely be called upon because in just over a month, between now and November 2nd, Milan will face five top opponents: Napoli, Juventus, Fiorentina, Atalanta and Roma.

That said, it’s also true that all their rivals will have three more European fixtures in the meantime, while the Rossoneri continue to play once a week and with so many fresh legs to call upon.