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Who Will AC Milan Buy & Sell? Niclas Füllkrug, Youssouf Fofana, Pavlovic, Thiaw & More (Ep. 441)
1.9k Plays3 months ago
AC Milan transfer news deep dive with Vito Angele, the Editorial Director of MilanReports.com, detailing all the latest transfer rumors from Niclas Füllkrug and Youssof Fofana to futures of Malick Thiaw, Ismaël Bennacer, Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez and more in this special Rossoneri episode of The Italian Football Podcast.
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Transcript
Introduction to AC Milan Transfer Market Episode
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Hello, everybody. I'm Caro Garganese and welcome to another special transfer deep dive on the Italian football podcast. I'm joined, as always, by Nemo Tavalli. So far this summer, we've done Napoli with Vincenzo Credendino, Juventus with Mirco Di Natale, and Lazio with Valerio Marcangelo. Today we are doing a special transfer market podcast on Milan. We are
AC Milan's Transfer Market Strategies
00:00:33
Speaker
going to look at all their potential business between now and the end of the Mercato and to do that we've brought back onto the show our good friend Vito Angelou who is one of Italy's best AC Milan journalists and is the editorial director of the of the brilliant Milan reports website and later this week I believe is is going to
00:00:57
Speaker
to the United States for um for Milan's tour, their pre-season tour. So and we'll talk about the transfer market and then at the end we'll ask we'll ask him about the about the tour and what what he will be doing there. So first of all, Vito, thank you so much for for joining us again. and We appreciate your time. How how are you doing? Hello everybody, you're welcome and thank you for your call. I'm fine and you? Well, we're very good. Hi, Vito. This is Nima. Thanks again for joining us. We really appreciate it.
Coaching Changes at AC Milan
00:01:28
Speaker
um Let's start with the coaching appointment. um After Stefano Pioli, it was Paolo Fonseca, former a Roma coach. Let's start at the beginning there. Why did Milan appoint Fonseca and was he Milan's first choice to replace Pioli?
00:01:44
Speaker
Yeah, there are many points that were in favor of Fonseca. The principal, is the famous Algorito, was a very important under for this choice. And I will explain some of them. He has improved a little and a lot in his year, especially the defensive father. With his club, he made the record ah of Ambita Tom, and the Milan had in this moment a lot of defensive problems. and The second, his salary is very low. He will earn 2 million, so and this is much less than Pioli. And the finally, he agreed to dis discuss the number and the quality of staff with the club. And this point for the club is very important.
00:02:30
Speaker
I understand. That's all very good points. But was he Milan's first choice to replace Pioli? Because obviously we had there were there were reports of Thiago Mota, Roberto de Zerebi, there were even reports of Maurizio Sarri. I mean, what was the situation with all those coaches and how did the Milan end up with Fonseca? yeah Milan, um after Piola, looked for Mota, but Mota he had an agreement with you already, and then the club spoke with Lopotegi, because Lopotegi was a similar profile in respect to Fonseca, earning the same, but later the fans so didn't not like him, And the finally the club have decided to to spoke with Fonseca and to Teicli. So we can confirm then that it was because of the fan rebellion that Lopetegi was discarded.
00:03:28
Speaker
Yeah, because so for the fan, he was a profiler that he ambitious because he win a few with we to Spain and the fans doesn't doesn't feel like Lopedege and the situation was similar with Fonseca when Milan decided to to take Fonseca but in this day the fans are improved in them.
00:04:08
Speaker
with Fonseca and the now Fonseca is the right right to decision for Milano. No, and there was no contact with Konta, because Konta was a very important profile of Konta, and a lot of the club doesn't want to spend ah this money, but decle such the
00:04:44
Speaker
a coach, a generalist, and the content was ah very, very different to to background with this. Also, for the Derby, there was no content. Okay, thanks. Let's
Pursuit of Strikers and Key Targets
00:05:00
Speaker
talk about the players now who could could join Milan this summer. Of course, Alvaro Morata has already signed, but he wasn't the first choice to be the new the new number nine, and the new number nine to replace Olivier Giroud. The first choice, of course, was Joshua Zirksi.
00:05:18
Speaker
um Now, Vito, why did Milan not sign ah Joshua Zixe? Was it because of the 15 million euro commission that Zixe's agent, Keir Jarabchan, asked for? ah And if so, how much commission were would have Milan been prepared to pay in order to complete the transfer for Zixe? Yeah, and it ah wasn't really a commission talk because the two weeks ago, and there was a and market meeting ah important and Milan decided to change their strategy. Milan has had the um
00:05:59
Speaker
ah budget to spend ah and they decided that by taking Morata they could save 50 million and spend that money on more players and in fact Mila now is ah completing many many deals and the You think Milan buying Spain's captain and Atletico Madrid reference strike for that amount of money was a very important deal, but Milan for Zuzia could have spent less than 10 million in commission and in end they decided to buy more players and focus on to striking instead of because
00:06:37
Speaker
in this moment, Jovic is not considered a good replacement. So Milan in the end decides to buy Morata to can spend the other money in the in the other in other player. That's very, very interesting. So it wasn't it wasn't really because so much because of the commission. and So that brings us on. You mentioned there that Milan want two strikers. So do you think Milan will sign another number nine? And if so, Nicolas Fulcruk from Borussia Dortmund, is he there the the the first choice to be this other number nine? And and what is the latest with Fulcruk from Borussia Dortmund?
00:07:22
Speaker
Yeah, i do I think that Miron absolutely wants to sign another strike after Morata. In this moment, there are and there have been real contacts for Foucault, and they like him a lot because ah he has different characters from Morata. He's too similar to Giro. And he played very well at the World Cup, at the European, sorry, and they he showed he can a score coming from the bench. And that's what to Milan needs now. And Fulbrum now has already achieved Milan. He's just waiting waiting for their um for the Milan to send an official offer to Borussia Dortmund for him.
00:08:07
Speaker
that's very That's very promising. m We've seen other links to other strikers, Tammy Abraham ah of Roma, Jean Duran of Aston Villa, Armando Brocha of Chelsea started to to warm up. um I mean, as it stands now, who do you think, out of all of these, including Fuldkrug, who do you think is maybe the favourite to be Milan's number nine? No, no, for me the favorite now is, the favorite is Fulghorn, absolutely. And i can't I can tell you that ta Milan doesn't want to buy Abram now because they have voted him, but he's not the right profit. He has a hi salary and Milan doesn't want to pay that much for a player who has to be Morata representative.
00:08:55
Speaker
and also Abram in his moment wants to go back to the national team because England changed the coach and he's looking for a club where he can play as a starter and Milan is not an option right now. That all makes sense. The
Midfield Targets and Challenges
00:09:13
Speaker
other position, one of the other two main positions that Milan are really focused on this summer is the ah new central midfielder. Now, Yusuf Forfanat from Monaco has been the top target, but we've seen reports in recent, well, recent hours, really, that some other clubs like Manchester United have maybe come in and that means that the Monaco's have put their price tag up and maybe that has complicated ah Milan's
00:09:41
Speaker
um bid for Fafana. So what what is the latest with Fafana right now? see yeah yeah The situation with Fafana is clear in this moment because Milan has closed the Arabian agreement with him, with the player, but there is not a complete agreement with the Monaco. Because in the direction today, Minister United and Atletico Madrid have also searched the player and the dissipation is strange because now the Atletico Madrid is getting in on many of Milan's targets because they
00:10:21
Speaker
they were not satisfied with Morata transfer because for the athletic Milan should have warned them that they wanted Morata before talking to him and before paying in the clouds and the this moment we we able to waiting because am Milan doesn't want to spend more than 20 million for an hour because he has only one year left on his contract Okay, so that looks like that might be complicated. In which case, Lazar Samadzic, we've seen that Milan have been, well, reports that Milan are in talks for Samadzic. Is this true? And if so, is he an alternative to Fofana? Or is it Fofana and Samadzic? Is it one or the other?
00:11:15
Speaker
No, no, it's not alternative, because the and the players are very different and Milan likes a lot some of it, because he's the perfect player for the club strategy. He has a great potential, he's young and he's not present, but Milan has already taken talking it to his father and already has an agreement with him, but it has not yeah yet sent an offer to Dinesse, because Milan would like to sell a medical and leather Milan can to send an offer.
00:11:56
Speaker
but to know he he is not absolutely alternative to Fofana because they have different characters. Different characteristics, okay. And ah the other midfielders I just run, well two in particular, Richard Rios, who's this really a unique player from Colombia, midfieldter from Palmeiras, who used to be a futsal player, and also Adrian Rabio, who's a free transfer now after leaving Juventus. Is there any any possibility of these players maybe coming to Milan?
00:12:30
Speaker
for For me now, no possibility for both, because Milan now needs a ready player, um a player that can start and a and the Rios so for now could be a bit, and the that's why I think he wants to come. While Rabio is difficult because yeah Milan talks to Rabio, but he makes ah more or seven million a year, and as Milan will not spend that money. and Then there is the IEC commission for the players' family, and I don't think the club considers him a very good deal now.
00:13:14
Speaker
You have Veronique, the famous van of you always to the van me on la famoa Veronique
00:13:22
Speaker
right let's talk about central defenders. and We
Defensive Signings and Considerations
00:13:25
Speaker
know that Milan wants central defenders. um there's ah we We were seeing links with Strenja Pavlovic, Salzburg's Serbian centre-back. What's the state of play there? I think Pavlovic is a very close because ah he has already talked to Ibrahimic and now Milan just needs to finish his offer to Salis Borgo and the relationship between the two club is very good now after the deal of Ocafo last year.
00:14:00
Speaker
I think the negotiation will be closed with a few deals because he would be a perfect player for Milan. Yang plays with the left foot, it's very important, and that he has different characters from Tomori or Cho. um What other options are there? We've heard of Mario Hermoso and even Jakub Kivior of Arsenal. No, Milan never talked with Armando, but Milan talked with his agent, and the cure was an object for Milan in the last year, but no contact in this year. And right back, we know that Milan wants to sign a right back. Emmison Royale from Spurs was the first choice. um What's the situation there? How close is that to being done?
00:14:54
Speaker
Yeah, Milan also talked to Amazon Real, and the player wants to to come to Italy. I think he considers his ah experience in the Premier League over, and he doesn't have a great feeling with with his coach. And the Milan, after so many years, no longer believes in Carabria. Milan don't think that Calabria can play as a start this year, so they will buy a ah another full deck. I think that there is a little left to find an agreement with Tottenham and close the deal. I think in this moment to Milan are very close to Pavoic and also Emerson.
00:15:37
Speaker
It's, um I think every Milan fan that is listening to this podcast just started screaming with happiness after you said that Calabria is no longer considered a starter. um but othering But not sorry, but not screaming with happiness that Emerson Royale is coming. that's it that's That's different. That's a different debate. But I mean, there are also other alternatives. Matti Cash, Thiago Santos, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jerome Frimpong, Isaac Aboureh. Is there any truth to any of them? No. On the question, I immediately said that motivation was not an alternative because
00:16:15
Speaker
he For me, he's ah one of the best players at Aston Villa and now who could he be sold? The club will make the Champions League and I don't think they they will want to to be selling. Milan, they they want as i want a lot of money in this moment for cash, it's normal, but but Milan can't spend more ah money on one player. So there's also been a rumor about Ardagh Guler on loan, similar to perhaps Milan signing in similarly to how they got Brahim Diaz in the past. Is there any chance of Ardagh Guler joining Milan?
00:17:00
Speaker
Yeah, it's true that the relation between Milan and Real Madrid are very good. It could be. But Milan in this moment in is in a conversation with Sam Aric, who is a similar player. And I think that the tour is already almost ready. I like Brian Diaz a few years ago. Anyway, I and will ask Ancelotti after the friendly match the next week, and he wants to say. caritto yeah ask carletto who do milanana favor ah yeah exactly that kind carletto do do do your old club of favor um ah um Are there any other transfers players in that we haven't discussed that Milan are currently working on?
00:17:47
Speaker
or their other
Retaining Key Players Amidst Contract Concerns
00:17:48
Speaker
player Yeah. yeah definite You can't ask me this because ah after you mentioned more than 50 players, that like but but maybe we can say that ah a fee disposal could open the door to new negotiation if Milan had to sell ah um another player in Medivh and it's possible yeah that the club can search on that ah other players. We're going to talk about players being sold now, aren't we?
00:18:18
Speaker
Yeah, we are. let's let's Let's look at the players who who might leave and the players who have been linked with this exit. So I want to get the the one big question out of the way because this is what all Milan fans fear probably every summer. Will one of the big three Milan players leave. The big three are Rafael Liao, Theo Hernandez, Mike Manion. Of course the contract situations with Theo Hernandez and and Mike Manion are a little bit, ah you know, that's what's providing the fear for Milan fans with those two. So are you confident that all three of these players will stay this summer?
00:18:55
Speaker
Yeah, because now there is not much to say here, because Brynwich has said that they will stay. But later, it depends on the offer. lao Now there is no chance of him leaving, because for theite it's very important and also for Teo it's the same because the club wants Teo as the next team captain. They will do everything to get his contract and I think that m for the next year Hernandez replies to Calabria's captain of the club.
00:19:32
Speaker
and And also Manyan is also considered important. um And I think that the ne negotiation for his renewals will start soon. But you never know. If an offer arrives, Milan belted the offer and later decided. So this is the philosophy of the club. Are you confident that Teo and Manon will sign the new contract soon?
00:20:04
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, I confident for minion is more simple, because it was the first renewal for minion, but for an undead it is more complicated, but um I think in the end we stay at me, because for now and there is no offer, for and there is no important offer for him. Okay, so as we spoke before Milan are looking at midfielders for Fana and Samadzic, so that means that some midfielders have to leave. um
Potential Departures and Club Interests
00:20:41
Speaker
Two central midfielders in particular has been widely reported that Milan are open to selling Benacer and Yasin Adlai. Are Milan looking to sell Benacer and Adlai and if so,
00:20:58
Speaker
Is there interest in them? How much are Milan asking for? You know, what's the situation with Beneser and Agli? Yeah, the two situations are very different because Ben Nasser, it's normal if 50 million of our teams, he will leave because he has a clause. But and I think that if purely would have a signed with each other, the negotiation would have started. But then he didn't sign. And for now, there is an offer.
00:21:29
Speaker
and ah then Benacer wants to stay at Adlí, Adlí loves Milan too much and doesn't want to leave the club. He's a player who is fine even if he doesn't play. Last year yeah he played the more and the he now he believes he can do better this year but It's normal that Milan would like to sell him if a good offer came in. But it's not easy for him to accept a transfer to Saudi Arabia.
00:22:04
Speaker
so So is there, so there's interest from Saudi Arabia in Adlai? Is that in Adlai? There's interest from Saudi Arabia or Benasseh? No, no, Adlai. In Adlai. There is a art club but that and it's conferred the principle of Saudi elite that wont want to Adlai. Okay, that's interesting. Malik Tiau, now there does seem to be definite interest in in him from Newcastle. um
Interest in Malik Tiau from Newcastle
00:22:36
Speaker
What's the situation with Tiau and could Milan consider selling Tiau, especially as Pavlovic is is joining and probably joining as well?
00:22:46
Speaker
Yes, nobody has been known trusted before Mila because we know that Newcastle has been following him for two years. In my opinion, he has the character to play in the Premier League. and em Milan paid him very little, so they could get a big money for from his sales. We know that this is the club philosophy, so if an ah offer comes, he can live.
00:23:18
Speaker
and yeah I understand. So what do you think? Do you think he's going to leave? I mean, what's the state of play? Is it close to being done? and and child For me, it depends. but because For now, Newcastle spoke with the player, but m no-one has arrived at Casa Milano. For now, yeah yeah he stays. Luka Jović, is he leaving Milan? And what's the situation with Fenerbahce?
00:23:52
Speaker
No, he wanted to go to Fenerbacher because they got um another strike, and Jović could have been the alternative of Nasi, but there are no offers for him now, so he could stay back with him. Alexis Salemakers was on loan at Bologna last season and they had an option to buy him. I mean how much are Milan asking for and what's the state of play um as there are quite a few clubs interested in him and even you know from the Premier League but also Tiago Mota's Juve.
00:24:29
Speaker
Yeah, he's having a very good pre-season. He could stay if no fair coming, but yeah, it's to Talyano didn't want him to Bologna for the moment for me because they made, decided to bid for him when they sell Calafiori. Yeah, I'm not like a salamaker, likes him a lot, but Juventus now have other target, but I think that they move in the last years of the market. Napoli as well, sorry Vito, Napoli have been linked with with seller makers as well, haven't they? No, because you can't in this moment would to take another profile andnna and
00:25:14
Speaker
and a player that will learn will score a more goals. I make it easy and properly that I'm very defensive for now. Napoli don't ask to try and make it clear. And what about Alessandro Florenti? There's been reports that he might believe on a free transfer but we've not seen anything confirmed. Can you tell us anything there? ah In my opinion, ah he will leave a for sure. There is no room for him to see Milan. Milan will search another full back in the and Milan has also communicated this to his agent because for me in Florence he will leave for sure.
00:26:04
Speaker
um Two other players, ah one Divock Origi and one Fode Ballotore, or as one of our Milan fan listeners calls him, Fode Ballon Dore.
Uncertain Futures for Origi and Ballotore
00:26:14
Speaker
um what what What's the situation with them? Are they leaving? yeah The situation is ah that we always talk about Origi during ah our interviews in this year. Every year. Every every year. But it will still be like that because he has a very long contract and a his son was ah very defeated for the club. But now he has an offer and I think he will live on loan like he does every year.
00:26:48
Speaker
Baroture on the other end turned it down and now fell from Tarki because Baroture wants to go to back to the Premier League and but both for now they will play for Milan footer and it's not a good thing for for them I think. Are there any other players in the Milan squad that you think could leave if the right offer comes? i may be for sure collombo and the malin
00:27:20
Speaker
and the order should stay because now there is mia futu no and why send our young starer away when you can conour
00:27:32
Speaker
But what about, i wanted to I'm glad you brought that up because I wanted to ask you about Colombo. What is his future? Because I think he's a rather talented player. No, I don't think that Milan believe on Colombo because Colombo the last year was it's very difficult for them and I think that in the end the Colombo can be transferred on loan. There is a and negotiation with the employee and I think that to the the deals so it closed in a few days.
00:28:08
Speaker
Maldini to Monza, back to Monza again, do you think? Yeah, yeah, Monza or ah there is another club that search for Maldini. I think that Maldini spoke also with Danetia and Parma, so... a but he could do to move to Monza also for this year. You mentioned Milan Futuro, so the coming season will be the first season of the newly created
00:28:41
Speaker
um Milan Futuro is the name for the Milan under-23 team which has followed in the footsteps of Juventus' next-gen team and will play in Celiaci next season. and Atalanta also have created also have a team, another 23 team as well. They enter a plan in one maybe from next year so it's it's something that's a trend in Italy now. um from the Milan Furturo team which I mean there's there's a number of really exciting players I think oh if anybody that's been watching Italy under 19 euros in the the euros right now will tell that so let's let's go through some of them first of all Francesco Camarda what is Milan's plan for for Camarda will he play
00:29:27
Speaker
for the first team as well. Next season will he split his time between foru Milan Furturo and Milan 13 or will it be just Milan Furturo? What is the plan next season? Yeah, Milangfuturo is an important project for your younger play, Ibrahim, which believes a lot in this project. And he asks us to follow him a lot, and that that will will be a problem for us, because there will there will be a lot of work the next year with the senior team, Primavera, Milangfuturo, but it's okay. No.
00:30:04
Speaker
Yeah, and the plan for Camarda is clear because ah the plan is ah to increase the training with the first step. I talk to many coaches. They tell me that it's important for our young but a younger player to train with the first team because they increase their level. they ah Okay, they have to play, but it's more important to train with ah with older, stronger players. And this is the Milan plan for this player. Just one other question about Camarda. What is the feeling in Milan about Camarda? Do they believe that he is going to be a ah future ah future superstar? but Yesterday, Nima interviewed the one of the match analysts from
00:30:51
Speaker
from Italy's Under-19 and he was speaking about how special Kamada is, how he has this hunger that separates him from everybody else. I mean, do Milan believe that Kamada is somebody that can become one of the best players in the world? Yeah, I think that I believe ah absolutely he's become an important player for Milan. Camarda renewed his contract because ah he supports Milan and he will have an important future with the club, absolutely, because for me it's our best ah striker for also for the the future of Italy.
00:31:33
Speaker
Let's hope so. Kevin Zeroli, another big young talent, who's also doing great at the under 19 euros. um Same question is, you know, will he be part of the Milan Furturo next season? he I mean, he won't be loaned out to another team, would he? Like in City of B or or something. And also, will he do you think like Kamada, will he be part of the Milan senior team? Will he get some games for the for Ponseca's team as well? No, no, he will stay absolutely, because he will play with Milan Futuro. And then he need to get some call collapse with Seigneur Milan and maybe play some minutes. But the club has to take him in the Milan Futuro squad after all. Okay. And one other final play I want to talk about from Milan Futuro.
00:32:20
Speaker
well Well, we'll see if he'll be in Milan for two or two. Mattia Liberale, who I saw played in Milan's friendly ah the the other day, played the first half. um Now, he was one of the stars of Italy's Euro under 17 winners. Alessandro Costa Cotta has called him the Italian Phil Foden. Again, yesterday, when we interviewed a match analyst from Italy under 17 team, ah he told us that he's a genius. He called Andrea Loia Kona, who I interviewed yesterday. he said yeah He referred to Liberale as a football genius. as a football genius yeah so like How special a talent do you think Liberale is? And again, will he be part of Milan Futuro or maybe play some games for the first team next next season?
00:33:06
Speaker
Yeah, in fact, Kosovo called him the Italian funnel. But yeah, Liberale is a perfect number 10. But let's take this law, because he is important to politics. It's true. But he still has to improve. He has to be good at finding his real position on the beach. And I think, yeah, Fonseca will help him a lot with that, absolutely. Nice. Well before we finish off, Vito, you're traveling to the United States to cover Milan's tour of the United States. Can you tell us what what is the plan for you and Milan? ah How long are you staying? What's going to happen?
00:33:50
Speaker
Yeah, I'm living on Friday and you think that I know i only got to my ticket only yesterday. yeah but yeah and This is Italy? Yeah, but there will be a three important matches against a third big club like City, Real and Barcelona and it will be important to to see how the new Milan will play. And it's important not to make a bad match as it happened in Dubai during the last tour. And there will also be some events with sponsors and fans from America who always follow Milan. But I think that
00:34:31
Speaker
it will also be a risk to go on a tour in America for us in Milan because in this year, Milan is the only Serie A club going on tour outside Europe. It could be a disadvantage but we will see.
00:34:47
Speaker
weque We absolutely will have to wait and see. It's getting exciting now. It's endless getting to the end of July, beginning of August. The season's only two, three, four weeks away. It's going to be an interesting one. um Thank you so much for coming on to the show, Vito. If people want to follow you on Twitter and Instagram, if I'm not mistaken, your Twitter handle is at VitoAngela. Is it the same for Instagram? Yeah, with Angelo on Instagram and Twitter. And then thank you for ah your support and for your call. And
Conclusion and Guest Farewell
00:35:19
Speaker
for me, it's a very pleasure to be with you. Oh, the pleasure is ours. And make sure people to check out Milan Reports, which is Vito's brilliant website. um Thank you again, everyone, for listening. ah We'll be back next week for a Monday review show. And until next time, take care of yourselves and each other. Ciao ciao.