Reasons to believe that not everything is rosy at AC Milan

Date: 20th January 2017 at 11:50pm
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After a period of turmoil that saw the once-mighty Rossoneri searching for a lost identity, a sense of tranquillity has been returned to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza

Strength in experience has been replaced by the enthusiasm of youth, with coach Vincenzo Montella quietly masterminding the operation that has seen the team challenging for European football once again. The campaign has been dominated largely by the brilliance of youth academy graduates, namely goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, midfielder Manuel Locatelli and defender Mattia De Sciglio. However, despite the imminent Chinese takeover, the strides made by AC Milan this season could be undone if they should lose the core of this exciting squad.

Currently, the greatest threat to Milan, and other Serie A clubs for that matter, is Juventus. The Old Lady have begun preparations for another generation of success, which despite the backlash that followed the unveiling of the new crest, has begun in earnest with the signing of future stars. Atalanta defender Mattia Caldara has already penned a deal with the Turin giants, and Ascoli winger Riccardo Orsolini, a target of numerous Serie A sides, is expected to follow. The Italian champions are able to entice players with the promise of silverware, something Milan cannot, and as a result the Rossoneri are at immediate risk of losing De Sciglio, Donnarumma and central defender Alessio Romagnoli.

The entourage of De Sciglio is understood to have already agreed personal terms with the Bianconeri, with his current deal at the San Siro ending in June 2018. Juventus will then negotiate with Milan in the summer over a transfer fee, but the loss of the 24 year-old Milanese defender would certainly result in some outcry from fans. Romagnoli was signed from Roma for €25 million in 2015 and has become a crucial member of the starting line-up, but Juventus are very aware of their ageing defence and would find an ideal defensive partner for Daniele Rugani in Romagnoli. A successor to Gianluigi Buffon at international level appears to have been made in Donnarumma, but Milan fans are terrified of seeing their teenage prodigy replace the veteran between the sticks at Juventus.

Progress under Montella and Chinese ownership must be swift to keep these players on side, but this may not be enough. In recent years, the Rossoneri have parted with some of their best players despite the need to remain competitive. The loss of Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Paris Saint-German was dictated by the need to balance the books, with both players since expressing their desire to have stayed at Milan.

The likes of Chelsea, with Antonio Conte at the helm, will be ready to test the club’s conviction in the coming months for Romagnoli. Fans will be hoping the investment from the Chinese consortium resolves this complication, but such is the unpredictability of new ownership, the outcome could be just the same if not worse when presented with a massive transfer fee.

 

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