The AC Milan management are planning how the squad will look from the summer onwards and who to build around, with some key pillars in mind moving forward.
La Gazzetta dello Sport this morning (as seen below) report that the likes of Theo Hernandez, Mike Maignan, Rafael Leao and Fikayo Tomori are attracting interest from top clubs and that bids will be listened to, given the project will involve player trading.
Despite this, Milan can plan for the future quite calmly given Leao has a contract until 2028, Maignan until 2026 and Theo the same, so there is no deadline-driven pressure to sell.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christian Pulisic and Tijjani Reijnders have been with the Rossoneri for less than a year but they have already shown enough to become the pillars of the coming seasons.
In short, the backbone of today’s Milan can also be that of tomorrow’s Milan, market permitting obviously. But what can happen between now and next summer?
While those among the new signings who were not convincing have left (Luka Romero on loan to Almeria, Marco Pellegrino heading for Salernitana), in midfield and attack there is a small group of names destined to populate the team in the future too.
Loftus-Cheek, Reijnders, Musah and Pulisic landed at Milanello in the same summer and the program for the next one will not change: they will still wear the red and black shirt, with the current coach or with a new one.
Take Reijnders: he seems designed for Pioli’s football but would not suffer from any changes on the bench, because the Dutchman is flexible, has room for improvement and a specificity that is a rare commodity in this year’s squad: he has not been injured.
The same cannot be said for Loftus-Cheek: his physical fitness was the weak point that had penalised him at Chelsea. He suffered a mild form of groin pain and, once back in condition, he showed what he’s made of: physicality, technique and goals.
Musah completes the trio in midfield: at 21 years old the USA international has a very bright future ahead of him and the feeling is that he is in the right right environment to continue growing.
In attack, while Samuel Chukwueze struggles more than anyone and Noah Okafor is back after initial difficulties, Pulisic is keeping his promises. The talent that enchanted Europe as a very young player returns and balances the class on either side of the trident.
