GdS: Why Roma’s Dovbyk could emerge as a contender for Milan in No.9 pursuit

Another name has come up in AC Milan’s hunt for a new striker: Artem Dovbyk, who AS Roma would be open to selling.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Plan A for Milan clearly remains Rasmus Hojlund, so it’s simply a matter of beating out the competition (from Napoli above all) and finding a deal that everyone can agree on (a loan with an option to buy at a reasonable price).

Dusan Vlahovic remains a player highly regarded by Massimiliano Allegri, so he could be the Plan B. However, surprises aren’t out of the question at this point, and the appreciation for Dovbyk is coupled with Roma’s willingness to sell him, so the conditions might be there.

Dovbyk: A late opportunity?

Dovbyk joined Roma from Girona a year ago for a fee in excess of €30m, which could have risen to €38m with bonuses. How did his first season go in Italy? It was a mix of ups and downs. He scored 12 goals in Serie A, half of the 24 he’d had the world talking about in 2023-24.

He added two goals in the Europa League and three in the Coppa Italia, but at the start of a new season, he’s not unsellable. In these first weeks of training, Gian Piero Gasperini has alternated him with Evan Ferguson, the Irish striker who arrived from Brighton, whom the new boss really wanted.

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Milan want a new No.9 in quickly and though the Ukrainian is not the complete weapon, he can score and knows the Italian league. He’s 28 – halfway between the youngsters and the veteran strikers Milan have selected in recent years – and he would be a different profile than Hojlund.

Moreover, the report alludes to the fact that Roma might consider counterparts in an operation for Artem Dovbyk, given there are many Rossoneri players that the Giallorossi are fond of.