MN: Milan heading for squad with 19 outfield players after major summer cull

With not long to go in the transfer window, there is a real chance that AC Milan end the summer mercato with a squad that is too small.

That is according to MilanNews, who begin by stating that the big news is the stalling of negotiations between Milan and Liverpool for Joe Gomez. The Reds initially reached an agreement with the Rossoneri, but then did not give the green light to send him to Italy.

The reason was a delay in completing the final paperwork and scheduling the medical, while waiting for news on Marc Guehi arriving as a replacement. Igli Tare thus turned to Wolfsburg talent David Odogu, which raises some worries.

Too small a squad?

Despite the recent arrivals of Nkunku, Rabiot, and Odogu, Milan have a very small squad. The Rossoneri won’t be playing in the Champions League, but they’ll still be in the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana during a very tough winter.

With 23 players leaving – when factoring in sales, loan and contract expirations – and far less new arrivals the squad has certainly been thinned out across the board. In fact, the first team now has 22 players in the squad, of which only 19 are outfield players.

It is a truly small squad, especially considering Jashari’s injury, which has left him out for at least eight weeks. Rabiot’s arrival will certainly help the midfield, but the defence, at least on paper, to have received that decisive upgrade.

The pitch will tell the story and will be the sole judge after a truly intense summer for Milan, from every perspective. Allegri wanted to streamline the squad, but this much? Only he knows.