QS: Max’s magic and the next mission – Allegri’s work on individuals bearing fruit

As all teams do, AC Milan are enjoying the contribution from their best players. However, others are chipping in during a great start to the season.

As Quotidiano Sportivo write, this is not just Rafael Leao’s Milan, or Christian Pulisic’s, or Luka Modric’s and Adrien Rabiot’s. The new era under Massimiliano Allegri is also that of the ‘wingmen’ who are doing their jobs with distinction, namely Matteo Gabbia, Davide Bartesaghi and Alexis Saelemaekers.

The Italian job

The former is a regular starter under Allegri. The 26-year-old rested on the bench in the Coppa Italia against Lecce, but aside from that has played every minute. He looks perfectly comfortable leading a rational three-man defence and is demonstrating maturity, as well as Milanismo.

Gabbia got a taste of the national team under Luciano Spalletti last October, even though he never played. Now he is back in the fold under Gennaro Gattuso, who called him up for the Azzurri’s most recent two matches, though again he didn’t feature.

His performances against the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Dusan Vlahovic, Moise Kean and even the ‘ThuLa’ duo in the derby certainly didn’t go unnoticed. Matteo is proving to be a very consistent defensive anchor.

Bartesaghi meanwhile is in the Italy U21s with Silvio Baldini (four starts) and has taken the starting spot from Pervis Estupiñan. This summer, the now former- Futuro man renewed his contract – worth €600,000 net per year – until 2030.

In the league, he has played nine matches, six as a starter, which is not bad for a 19-year-old. He has plenty that Allegri likes: he is physically big and powerful, he is defensively attentive, he puts in good deliveries and can also take corners from the right.

Photos: Alessandro Sabattini + Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Saelemaekers and Santi

A separate chapter is reserved for Saelemaekers. The Belgian won the Scudetto under Stefano Pioli, but was sent on loan to Bologna in 2023-24 and Roma last season. Igli Tare’s first move as sporting director was to reject the Giallorossi’s attempts to make the dry loan permanent.

This choice was approved by Allegri, who has used him as a wing-back and even as a second striker this season. In fact, since arriving from Anderlecht, there is hardly a position that Saelemaekers hasn’t played, such is his devotion to the cause.

Now, the next ‘mission’ for Max: to revitalise Santiago Gimenez, who arrived at Milanello with a track record as a goalscorer (16 in the last half-season at Feyenoord, 26 in the entire season and the previous one) and who has yet to score in the league this season.

The 24-year-old is trying to overcome an ankle problem and also worked separately yesterday. In the background, the transfer market: in the summer, he turned down Roma, now he’s considering Sunderland, among others.

Milan are looking around for potential No.9 signings: Mateo Pellegrino (Parma), Joaquin Panichelli (Strasbourg) and Franculino (Midtjylland) are among the players being monitored. First, they want to see if Max can work his magic on Santi.