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AC Milan have made some errors when it comes to the strikers they have invested in, and it will require another mid-season fix.
Milan’s battle to find a reliable long-term striker has been going on for years, with Carlos Bacca arguably the last major investment that paid off. Christopher Nkunku and Santiago Gimenez are currently under the microscope, with both not having scored in the league yet.
This has led to talk of potential mid-season movements. A number of different names have been linked with the Rossoneri, and there is even talk of a swoop for Robert Lewandowski on a free transfer next summer, in what would be a Giroud-esque coup.
‘It won’t be easy to fix’
Andrea Longoni published his weekly column on MilanNews and he spoke about the issue that Milan have had when it comes to finding the right centre-forward.
“Milan’s search for a striker over the last decade has been, with a few rare exceptions, a veritable curse. This is still terribly true in the now-flops of Gimenez and Nkunku: who cost not a small sum, a combined total of €75m.
“Rewinding the tape, there are many flops up front: from Luiz Adriano to Kalinic, passing through Higuain, Piatek and André Silva, without forgetting Mandzukic and the more recent Origi and Morata. Jovic and Abraham have not left their mark: the only successful purchases, all things considered, have been Ibrahimovic and Giroud.
“Milan is the only club in Serie A that has yet to score a goal through its centre forward. Gimenez and Nkunku are still without a goal. The Frenchman was brought in with the idea that he could play the role; Tare himself recently stated that he’s played as a centre-forward 70% of the time in his career: this is not even remotely apparent today.
“Nkunku also seems to have a personality deficit: often watching him play, you get the feeling that the ball is burning at his feet and he can’t wait to pass it to a teammate. He’s often had the chance to finish or attempt a play, but he’s preferred the easy pass, even better if it’s a back pass.
“The expense for the former Chelsea player was unjustified: for €38m plus €5m in bonuses, a true top-class No.9 could have been acquired.
“It won’t be easy to fix the summer’s mistakes in January: top strikers are unlikely to move. Tare will have to be creative and hope for interesting opportunities, looking at the surplus of players at Europe’s top clubs.
“Zirkzee is one of them, but he’s not the number 9 Allegri is looking for. Fullkrug has those characteristics and could leave West Ham. In the background, a rekindling of interest with Roma for Dovbyk isn’t out of the question, with a view to a swap deal with Gimenez, who has very little time to change everyone’s minds.
“The current big target for the summer is Robert Lewandowski, who turns 38 next August. It’s no easy task for Tare, but he wants to try and pursue it. The real obstacle is financial: will his current salary of €20m drop so much that it falls within the parameters set by the club?
“If the answer to this question in the next meeting with Zahavi (the striker’s manager) is affirmative, then negotiations can continue. A ‘no’ will definitely end the deal.”
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