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This summer, the midfield rework was clear to see and AC Milan are reaping the rewards in buckets so far. Something that is likely to continue.
When Tijjani Reijnders was sold, there was an uproar, understandable given his quality. However, his departure has allowed Milan to renovate an area that, even with Reijnders, was poor. Of course, it worked and had moments.
However, it was never a ‘complete’ unit and the Rossoneri often paid for this. So, like with the sale of Sandro Tonali, the Reijnders funds were put into restarting the midfield. Ardon Jashari, Samuele Ricci, and Luka Modric started the process.
It ended, though, with the signing of Adrien Rabiot, who has not instantly hit the ground running, as Gazzetta dello Sport write this morning, as seen below.
Experience and emotions
The Frenchman has ‘started like a rocket’, winning the most duels, aerial duels and making the most tackles. Alongside Modric, the Milan midfield is envied by the entire league. Their talent is recognised, established and elite.
Modric and Rabiot move things along, with only the Croatian making more opposition half passes than his French partner. A monster and a magician, as referrred to by Massimiliano Allegri’s assistant this weekend, the pair have it all.
Clear depth
At the start of the season, Allegri had asked for 15 goals from central midfield, and maybe now this is possible. Ruben Loftus-Cheek has already bagged one, whilst Youssouf Fofana got his first of the season in Udine.
Then, Rabiot was a danger himself, and we cannot forget the Maestro’s first goal last week. Already, the Diavolo are a fifth of the way there.
Last season, the focus was on one man, whilst the others aided. Now, the unit is complete with quality, and yet there is still more to come. Jashari and Ricci are yet to truly start their seasons, who knows what they will add.
What must be remembered, though, is that both are young, and they will only learn from the best in Italy.
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