The AC Milan management are planning how the squad will look not only for the rest of the current season but also from the start of 2024-25, with the right-back spot an area of focus.
Calciomercato.com report that last August Geoffrey Moncada and Giorgio Furlani thought about strengthening the full-back ranks by signing Iván Fresneda from Real Valladolid, who later ended up at Sporting CP.
In recent months they have been evaluating various profiles to be ready for when June comes around, but they must also see what the future holds for a number of their current options.
Filippo Terracciano: A signing has already been made given Terracciano joined from Verona this month for €4.5m, but he is considered more of a wild card who can play various positions rather than a starter at right-back.
Davide Calabria: The Rossoneri captain, tied by a contract until June 2025, is the player in that position who has the best chance of staying given his status within the side and his current role as the starter.
Alessandro Florenzi: He arrived in August 2021 and has racked up 59 appearances (with two goals), but the management’s idea is to let him find another club given he earns €3m net per season in salary.
Alex Jimenez: Also in the balance is Jimenez, who has made four appearances for the first team after signing on an initial loan from Real Madrid. In June, Milan may decide to buy him for €5m but Real have a buy-back. Either way, he would not be labeled as a starter.
Pierre Kalulu: Milan have another option internally, but Kalulu is currently on the sidelines due to a muscle injury (he will be available again in March). The Frenchman has been used by Pioli on the right.
His future will be decided by whoever is the head coach for next season, but the mercato will be interesting. Having arrived on a free transfer, the former Lyon man could be sold for substantial capital gain.
kalulu is a quality player who has surprised everyone from the start. He still has lots of room to improve, he is good on the ball, skillful, fast, can shoot, cross and defends well, his attitude is also excellent
I would hate to see us lose such a talent.
Kalulu, Thiaw, Tomori, Theo is an excellent defense that is balanced.
Kalulu is nothing to write home about, he is too short for a CB and too one-dimensional for a RB. Calabria has rightfully stayed ahead of him as a RB, I don‘t see how that is going to change after several years.
You said Kalulu is too short as a reason why he shouldn’t be RB and then mention the shorter Calabria should be ahead of him lol 😂🤣🤣
Height: 1,82 m
Kalulu makes up for his height in his IQ.
Think back two years to be and Tomori dominating as a pair. It was their movement and speed in covering each other.
I’d love to see them together again with Gabbia, Thiaw and Simic seasoning.
Hell old man Kjaer there too simply for locker room presence.
That would be a full house. That Kalulu can cover at RB is a nice bonus as well.
Kalulu is the best option for the. Right back role, he just needs consistency , he and Filippo Terracciano are the best options, Jimenez lacks size, it would be better to use him as a winger
After being inspired by the latest episode of the podcast to check out Expected Threat statistics, I noticed that Giovanni Di Lorenzo currently leads the league in xT, ahead of Leao in 2nd. He plays right back for Napoli and would be much more of an attacking thread on the right than our existing options (and would pair well with Pulisic on that side). Fotmob has his transfer value at $23M and he’s on a long term deal until 2028. He is 30 but has been producing better than ever before.
Well getting Di Lorenzo would be amazing but due to his price, him being in Napoli, I don’t think we’ll go for him.
Also we have more important priorities in the summer.
Whoever comes in for RB just needs to give Calabria competition at the spot so that he improves. Same thing happened to Tomori last season. There was a drop off with guaranteed starts without any real competition.
These guys need to be fighting for the starting spots every day in training. BUt that’s hard to do when Pioli has virtually the same line up every game.
Still, no one in that back is lacking behind, Thaiw is the worst center back in that team, by puslting his partners in dangers on several occasion, if you want to expose him use him and gabbia or kjear together, I will always choose kalulu ahead of him. You see on the right side nobody is better than Calebria in serial a except Di Lorenzo, and Dumfries… Technically Calabria is good. The coach is killing him, if you want to see best of Calebria have a good centre-back beside him not Thaiw then good cdm like Toneli, who knows how to cover up…. And a good right winger, who can play good teamwork, now leao look like bad egg to you guys, please check out who created the two opportunities for the first two goals against Udinese…. They both came from Leo to theo cos he got good covered up for him but it’s a lie,,, on the Calebria side…. Zingo zingo please watch him in afcon and drop you feedback if u don’t know football rest