The calm before the storm [Newsletter]

Jun 19, 2024

Euro 2024 is in full swing and understandably so, all eyes are on the tournament. The transfer market rumours haven’t just stopped, don’t get us wrong, but the feeling is that we are currently experiencing the calm before the storm. AC Milan are evaluating their options and although some negotiations require more urgency, it’s not always bad to take your time.

Milan announced Paulo Fonseca as their new head coach last week and although work began before this, the parties can now officially focus on the mercato together. Reinforcements will be made to the squad, as confirmed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but the Rossoneri have a very clear strategy and philosophy when it comes to signing new players.

It’s not exactly a secret that Giorgio Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada would like to close the operation for Joshua Zirkzee. However, the high commission request - which remains rather high even after negotiations - and the Euros factor have inevitably forced Milan into a stalemate of sorts. Optimism remains and the methodical work continues, but they will not be able to wait forever.

For the midfield, Mats Wieffer appears to be the primary target and that is far from surprising, given that Milan have followed him for quite some time. With a price tag of around €25m, it could be a Reijnders-esque operation for the Rossoneri and based on how the latter has performed, it’s hard to complain about that. Plus, being a defensive midfielder, the Feyenoord man is exactly what we need.

On the exit front, Alexis Saelemaekers has returned to the club after Bologna decided not to exercise the buy-out option. Milan are confident that he can fetch over €10m after the positive 2023-24 campaign, and Daniel Maldini is another player who is set to be capitalised on. His loan spell at Monza has attracted interest and this additional budget could come in very handy for the Rossoneri.

Theo Hernandez ended up in the spotlight after cryptic comments about his future at Milan, saying ‘we will see later whether I will stay at Milan or not’, but the resulting rumours should be taken with a pinch of salt. We have done a bonus article on the matter, explaining the situation of both parties and the clubs interested in signing the Frenchman.

Anyway, things have certainly calmed down a bit for Milan after a rather intense period ahead of the Euros. As is always the case with the mercato, though, things will pick up again and it will be interesting to see what the Rossoneri will come up with. Reinforcements are needed to compete at the top next season and they are well aware of that.

News Bulletin

➤ Fonseca was announced by Milan last week, as mentioned, and we have done a comprehensive tactical analysis of the Portuguese manager. While the core philosophy has largely remained the same, Fonseca has made some successful improvements to his tactics and the result is evident.

➤ Following his departure from the Primavera, Ignazio Abate is now just one step away from taking over Serie C side Ternana. The goal is to immediately bring them back to Serie B, following the relegation in 2023-24, and he could be up against Milan’s U23 side. The latter depends on which division the Rossoneri will be in, though, and that is yet to be decided.

➤ Milan have triggered the buy-out clause for Alex Jimenez following the success with both the Primavera and the first team this past season. However, Real Madrid have a buy-back clause and while the value of this is unknown, it is higher than what the Rossoneri paid for the full-back.

➤ Mats Hummels, who will leave Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer, was offered to Milan by his agents but the approach was rejected. The deal would involve a high commission and salary, which is partly why the Rossoneri decided not to move forward with their initial interest.

➤ Al Hilal remain keen on signing Rafael Leao, per the latest reports, and Milan have made it clear that they value their No.10 at the release clause: €175m. The Saudi Arabian side are said to be preparing an offer and knowing the Rossoneri’s firm stance on the price tag, it could be a hefty one. The player isn’t beaming with the excitement, though.

➤ Since we last published a newsletter, Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke at great length to the media during the pre-2024/25 press conference. The Swede discussed his role at the club, what is needed on the mercato this summer and Milan’s stance on the star trio of the team. On the site, we also published a feature breaking down six key takeaways from the presser.