AC Milan 2017/18

[Infordin]

Lucas Biglia is all but official. His agent has confirmed his move to Milan, now they are just negotiating with Lazio (estimated fee is €17m).

Milan are still after one more striker and a winger. Rumored striker targets include Aubameyang and Belotti. The primary winger target is Keita Balde.

 

[Infordin]

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[izec]

They have a talented squad, with Bonucci as the leader.

Biglia, Bonucci and Kessie were relatively cheap, i wouldnt have mind either of them at United

 

[MiceOnMeth]

I think a top forward is needed if they are to compete with Juve. Aubamayang fits that profile for sure. Exciting times if you are a Milan fan will be good to see them compete again the champions league sorely misses them

 

[JPRouve]

Montella mainly plays in 433, doesn't he?

 

[darioterios]

I'm still curious about the owner, who honestly sounds shady to me reading his background. I can't recall him anywhere near the front row Chinese businessmen, unlike Suning who are as known as businesses can be around China.

 

[::sonny::]

Next to the bankrupt in 3-4 yrs

 

[Mogget]

Where's all this money coming from? Their owner? This should end well

 

[derace]

they have a new asian investor

 

[NYAS]

Not sure why Kessie isn't in that Wikipedia list and why Bacca is in the formation, he has already left.

 

[VorZakone]

Jesus they replaced almost their whole first XI. What was their midfield last season?

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

Really nice team. Just have to add a proper striker upfront and then they could be a force to reckon with.

 

[::sonny::]

Where's all this money coming from? Their owner? This should end well

Bank loans, mortgages, bonds

 

[drdoityourself]

Rodriguez has been poor for Wolfsburg over an extended period of time. Could turn out to be another Taiwo/Emanuelsson signing for them. But overall they've improved tremendously in a difficult transfer market.

 

[Infordin]

Milan really missed the trick in the mid-2000's. They were hugely popular at the time (Manchester United levels of popular) just when football was becoming global. They should have done a much better job promoting their brand. I guess that as the original sugar daddy club, they didn't feel the need to do that.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

Milan really missed the trick in the mid-2000's. They were hugely popular at the time (Manchester United levels of popular) just when football was becoming global. They should have done a much better job promoting their brand. I guess that as the original sugar daddy club, they didn't feel the need to do that.

Won the Champions League in 2003 and 2007 and we know what it happened in 2005. Their collapse started after winning the leaggue in 2011.

 

[Cassidy]

Won the Champions League in 2003 and 2007 and we know what it happened in 2005. Their collapse started after winning the leaggue in 2011.

I think the point was more about the financial side of the game.

 

[fcbforever]

Milan really missed the trick in the mid-2000's. They were hugely popular at the time (Manchester United levels of popular) just when football was becoming global. They should have done a much better job promoting their brand. I guess that as the original sugar daddy club, they didn't feel the need to do that.

More down to calciopoli, which killed the league reputation, than anything.


Also, is it just me, or have they invested an awful lot of money for, except Bonucci, rather mediocre players?

 

[Nick7]

Also, is it just me, or have they invested an awful lot of money for, except Bonucci, rather mediocre players?

Same. Everyone keeps saying how they're having an amazing summer. But all they've bought are players that were hyped up years ago and never reached anything near their potential. A lot of mediocrity.

 

[Peyroteo]

They really need to get either Belotti or Aubameyang because they simply can't rely on André Silva for goals. As it is I still don't think they'll break into the top 4.

 

[VorZakone]

Milan really missed the trick in the mid-2000's. They were hugely popular at the time (Manchester United levels of popular) just when football was becoming global. They should have done a much better job promoting their brand. I guess that as the original sugar daddy club, they didn't feel the need to do that.

Honestly, I think the combination of mainstream internet and the English language is a major factor of why the PL managed to become far more popular than the other leagues.

 

[tidraKS]

If they buy Aubameyang or Belotti, which I think they will buy one of them, I see a very good team for Milan. I'm really looking forward to seeing them play next season, and I think they should challenge Juve for the title. It has been a very boring league in Italy over 6-7 last years, and I'd really like to see AC Milan back.

 

[Markolan]

Also, is it just me, or have they invested an awful lot of money for, except Bonucci, rather mediocre players?

- A. Conti, Kessiè and A. Silva are very talented, potential worldclass.
- Musacchio is a good defender, not mediocre, but injury prone. Biglia too, he's the regista of Argentina NT and the captain of Lazio
- I agree about Rodriguez and Calhanoglu, atm are overrated and mediocre but they are still young enough.
- Borini is crap, also as backup.

According to me only Calhanoglu (who is a 1994) is a waste of money but if you think that Kessiè, Conti and Biglia are mediocre you should watch more Serie A

 

[van der star]

Montella's views on the upcoming season, from the conference at the tournament in China -

1) A good mix of experience and youth that has arrived recently. Many come from different leagues so they will need time to adapt but we're confident. I do not feel any pressure, for me it is easier to train the stronger players. True, we've changed a lot by choosing players based on a logic, but it will serve well in the long run, and the strength to create a solid group. There are teams already tested in Serie A, such as Juventus, Napoli and Rome. These are the favorites for me.

2) Objective - Our goal is to enter the Champions League, but also to become a team, we need to grow quickly. The guys I got to know so far have immediately shown very good qualities.

3) On Calhanoglu - Hakan is a fantasy player. He can play in different positions on the pitch: out wide, through the center, in a midfield three, or play as a trequartista, we'll see.

4) On the EL - The fact of playing the away leg first is not the optimal situation. We will have to understand the shape of the team and to present the best possible training.

 

[fcbforever]

- A. Conti, Kessiè and A. Silva are very talented, potential worldclass.
- Musacchio is a good defender, not mediocre, but injury prone. Biglia too, he's the regista of Argentina NT and the captain of Lazio
- I agree about Rodriguez and Calhanoglu, atm are overrated and mediocre but they are still young enough.
- Borini is crap, also as backup.

According to me only Calhanoglu (who is a 1994) is a waste of money but if you think that Kessiè, Conti and Biglia are mediocre you should watch more Serie A

Biglia is 31 and there is a very good reason that no club ever went for him. He is average. And him playing for Argentina says more about the current state of Argentina than about him. Bayern was apparently interested years ago and I'm very glad that was a hoax.
Conti is 23 already and well...there's tons of better RB's.
Kessie maybe, haven't seen him play really, but a 20 year old African from a mditable side is always a bet I wouldn't fancy taking.
I would have been more excited about A. Silva a few years ago, but recently, the track record of Portuguese exports hasn't really been that awesome.

 

[ADJUDICATOR]

Biglia is 31 and there is a very good reason that no club ever went for him. He is average. And him playing for Argentina says more about the current state of Argentina than about him. Bayern was apparently interested years ago and I'm very glad that was a hoax.
Conti is 23 already and well...there's tons of better RB's.
Kessie maybe, haven't seen him play really, but a 20 year old African from a mditable side is always a bet I wouldn't fancy taking.
I would have been more excited about A. Silva a few years ago, but recently, the track record of Portuguese exports hasn't really been that awesome.

Uh... What?

 

[fcbforever]

Uh... What?

Didn't realise they finished 4th last year, but they are still a midtable team, even with that outlier. Just like Hoffenheim, for example.

 

[van der star]

Biglia is 31 and there is a very good reason that no club ever went for him. He is average. And him playing for Argentina says more about the current state of Argentina than about him. Bayern was apparently interested years ago and I'm very glad that was a hoax.
Conti is 23 already and well...there's tons of better RB's.
Kessie maybe, haven't seen him play really, but a 20 year old African from a mditable side is always a bet I wouldn't fancy taking.
I would have been more excited about A. Silva a few years ago, but recently, the track record of Portuguese exports hasn't really been that awesome.

You could have phrased that in a much, much better way.

 

[Cassidy]

Didn't realise they finished 4th last year, but they are still a midtable team, even with that outlier. Just like Hoffenheim, for example.

Probably that wasn't the part of the post that was questionable...

 

[fcbforever]

You could have phrased that in a much, much better way.

Probably

Would never be a bet I fancy taking?

 

[van der star]

Probably

Would never be a bet I fancy taking?

Not that bit. Shouldn't have used his ethnicity to bolster your point, since it's quite irrelevant.

 

[fcbforever]

Not that bit. Shouldn't have used his ethnicity to bolster your point, since it's quite irrelevant.

Sorry, but it isn't. I have seen quite a bit of African footballers who looked outstanding in their youth because of their much better developed physicality but who never reached the heights people thought they would reach. Just scroll through all those u-20 and u-17 world cup winning sides and have a look what those guys did throughout their career. We can all ignore it, but it just something I don't think any club ignores. The same thing has been said about R. Sanches (and maybe rightfully so) here and that isn't rascist either is it. Friggin' hell.

 

[Harry190]

Can't let them outspend us.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Not overly impressed with that potential lineup.

 

[NieThePiet]

---------------Donnarumma---------------
Conti---Bonucci------Romagnoli---Rodriguez
------------------Kessie------------------------
----------Biglia-----------Bonaventura--------
------------------Hakan------------------------
-----------Silva/Suso-------Belotti------------

Would look very good for one transfer window. Will need time, but the most of them already know the league.

 

[ADJUDICATOR]

Sorry, but it isn't. I have seen quite a bit of African footballers who looked outstanding in their youth because of their much better developed physicality but who never reached the heights people thought they would reach. Just scroll through all those u-20 and u-17 world cup winning sides and have a look what those guys did throughout their career. We can all ignore it, but it just something I don't think any club ignores. The same thing has been said about R. Sanches (and maybe rightfully so) here and that isn't rascist either is it. Friggin' hell.

Early physical developers do well in youth tournaments. Unless you can prove/cite why people of African heritage actually develop physically faster than any counterparts, you have to say players with early physical development, not Africans.

 

[KN5]

Hopefully their faith in some of their talent like Kessie and Silva pays off. They're still young and developing and not necessarily too experience, getting Bonucci was huge in terms of leadership, didn't he also get the captaincy already? Excites for Milan on fifa definitely :P

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

I think the point was more about the financial side of the game.

True that, Berlusconi stopped investing in the team at a certain point, believing they were ok for a long time.

 

[Markolan]

Biglia is 31 and there is a very good reason that no club ever went for him. He is average. And him playing for Argentina says more about the current state of Argentina than about him. Bayern was apparently interested years ago and I'm very glad that was a hoax.
Conti is 23 already and well...there's tons of better RB's.
Kessie maybe, haven't seen him play really, but a 20 year old African from a mditable side is always a bet I wouldn't fancy taking.
I would have been more excited about A. Silva a few years ago, but recently, the track record of Portuguese exports hasn't really been that awesome.

If you use Bayern as comparison I agree but Biglia, Musacchio, Conti and Kessiè are good players for a team who want to reach the UCL group stage next year (-> Top4 in Serie A).
Biglia and Musacchio were key player in Lazio and Villarreal while Conti last season probably was the best RB of the Serie A (even if, technically, he played as RM).
He and Kessiè are young and already finished 4th with Atalanta...
Andrè Silva could be a massive talent but I have seen him a few times.

I'm not at all convinced about Calhanoglu, R. Rodriguez (with € 18 mln I would have signed Dalbert) and Borini.

 

[Yagami]

Hakan is a great signing! Having both him and Suso is, for me, a potentially exciting combination. Bonucci is quite the catch as well. The team as a whole leaves a lot to be desired, though.

I'm not the biggest fan of Kessie. I preferred Freuler. Then again, Kessie's only 20 and Freuler is 24/25 so time is of course on Kessie's side.