Monthly Archive: July 2021

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The 2021 Summer Transfer Window So Far

There is still some 40 days left in the summer transfer window. A first look will show that Milan have outspent all of Serie A and most other teams across Europe, so far, but how many of the team needs have been addressed?

Milan finished the 2020-2021 season in a good position but getting ‘back home’ to the Champions League brought with it a more urgent need to be a protagonist, as Maldini himself put it. Milan finds itself in the lowest pot 4 for the upcoming Champions League season with many areas of the pitch to improve. Most expert analysis on how well Milan can navigate the European Competition and the domestic one will depend wholly on how the team looks come September 1st when the window is closed. It should be interesting though and if you are betting visit free bet sites such as free bets uk and get your Milan bets on early.

There have been six signing and confirmations so far costing close to €60 million. Fikayo Tomori was all but confirmed earlier in the year and Milan’s €28 million buy option with Chelsea while very attractive took out a good chunk of any budget Milan would have this summer. The team also moved very swiftly to replace Donnarumma with Maignan and used another sizeable portion of the available cash. Further to that a laudable negotiating act converted Tonali’s loan to a permanent deal.

The team had to shift to filling other weak spots. A veteran alternative to Ibra was sought and Giroud arrived on the cheap. All the while expectations were that he would be a free transfer but he offers plenty of winning experience. The never ending full back saga was somewhat addressed by Ballo-Toure. The Senegalese/French player is a relative unknown although he has played for Monaco and Lille. Nevertheless he looks to be a good back up to Theo. Brahim Diaz was a Milan player last season, technically on a dry loan but it was an open secret that the team will attempt to keep him longer. A friendly Real Madrid, now led again by Ancelotti, allowed the player to stay for a further two years and this time with an official option to buy. Diaz’s presence falls clearly in the urgent need category as Calhanoglu’s departure had left Milan with a big hole in the creative department.

The team has other weaknesses. For one the aforementioned Diaz is not enough. Another player is needed. Whether it be Nikola Vlasic, Marcel Sabitzer, Hakim Ziyech or any other this team can not afford to go without another quality player in the trequartista position. This brings us up to the right wing spot. Saelemaekers and Castillejo can not be the duo next season. Whether it be Berardi, a player like Ziyech shifting to the right or a name not yet mentioned an upgrade on the right is a must.

Other signings are in the works as well and might be surprising, or not. A young third string forward like Kaio Jorge for example. A Dalot return to help Calabria as another example. Bakayoko – if not the home grown Pobega – as yet another returnee to name another. As with every mercato new and often unrealistic rumours will pop up every day. All bets taken as to how the team will evolve as the summer moves forward.

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Olivier Giroud

Olivier Giroud has signed a 2 years deal and joined Milan.

The 34 years old veteran French international fresh off a Champions League win with Chelsea (though he did not play in the final itself) and Euro 2020 with France arrives for €1 million with add-ons that could reach another €1 million. His Chelsea contract had expired at the end of the 2020-2021 season and he was set to join on a free transfer but the London team triggered a unilateral extension so it cost Milan a fee to get Giroud. Earlier in the summer it was thought that any fee would only apply to a move within the English Premier League but that turned out to be false.

Giroud joins a Milan team lacking depth at the forward position with the only recognized attacker being Ibra – Rebic and Leao are clearly more suited to the left wing position. Giroud scored 11 times in 31 appearances last season and 10 in 25 the season before. It is thought that his salary is around €3.5 to €4 million per season. The player has picked the number 9 shirt.

Player Summary
Name:
Olivier Giroud
Date of Birth:
Sep 30, 1986
Age:
38
Height:
1.93 m
Citizenship:
France
Position:
Forward
Foot:
Left
Agency:
None
Ownership:
Dummy
Contract Expires:
Jun 30, 2025
Current Club:
AC Milan
Joined:
Jul 17, 2021

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Kaio Jorge

The latest Brazilian to be linked with Milan is Kaio Jorge. The center forward is a product of the Santos youth teams and has represented Brazil at the youth level. This included winning the 2019 U-17 World Cup scoring 5 goals in the tournament and one in the final victory over Mexico.

In a rush for comparisons some names like Gabriel Barbosa and Roberto Firmino have been mentioned. What is more certain is that Kaio has the pace and the skills of a good central goal scorer and show good shooting ability, all with a good right foot. Scouts have also noted his good work rate in recovering the ball.

His contract expires at the end of 2021 but it is perhaps telling that Milan, not exactly awash with transfer cash, is willing to pay now to fend off rumoured interests. The number being mentioned is around €10 million.

Player Summary
Name:
Kaio Jorge
Date of Birth:
Jan 24, 2002
Age:
22
Height:
1.82 m
Citizenship:
Brazil
Position:
Forward
Foot:
Right
Agency:
None
Ownership:
None
Contract Expires:
N/A
Current Club:
Santos FC
Joined:
Jan 1, 2019

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Nikola Vlasic

Calhanoglu’s departure on a free transfer has left a big hole in Milan’s lineup. The Turkish international under performed more often than not but he left as a free agent that meant Milan missed on any possible income to be used on a replacement.

As demonstrated regularly this summer the team is unable to spend much because of UEFA regulations and the still mounting debt. Brahim Diaz’s possible loan extension from Real Madrid is still not formalized and even if it is Milan does need players for the attacking phase.

Nikola Vlasic is a name mentioned a few times and he is now said to be closer to Milan. He would cost upwards of €25 million, an amount Milan likely can’t afford. It is said his current team, CSKA Moscow, are willing to agree to an initial loan that would turn into an obligation for next summer.

Player Summary
Name:
Nikola Vlasic
Date of Birth:
Oct 4, 1997
Age:
27
Height:
1.78 m
Citizenship:
Croatia
Position:
Midfielder
Foot:
Right
Agency:
None
Ownership:
None
Contract Expires:
N/A
Current Club:
CSKA Moscow
Joined:
Jul 1, 2019

On his first experience outside of Croatia he now international had a hard 2017-208 year at Everton where he was sometimes played out of his favoured central position. He was subsequently loaned to the Russian team and then bought outright for €15 million. He has done much better since. The player is able to start his movement from the left (or sometimes right) and attack centrally. His good movement from deeper positions are also well documented. Most of all he is seen as a very good in the number 10 role of a 4-2-3-1.

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Fodé Ballo-Touré

As the summer 2021 transfer window moves along slowly and as is the norm many names are linked to Milan. One area which the team needs to address is the fullback position. In particular the back up left back position as a deputy to Theo Hernandez. Diogo Dalot who spent last season on loan at Milan could play both right and left back but looks to be unattainable as Manchester United are asking for north of €15 million. A new name mentioned is Fodé Ballo-Touré. Rumours suggest he could arrive for around €6 million and it could be a one year loan to start. The player has recently opted to play for Senegal internationally but has previously represented France at the U-21 and U-16 levels.

Player Summary
Name:
Fodé Ballo-Touré
Date of Birth:
Jan 3, 1997
Age:
27
Height:
1.82 m
Citizenship:
Senegal
Position:
Fullback
Foot:
Left
Agency:
None
Ownership:
None
Contract Expires:
N/A
Current Club:
Dummy
Joined:
Sep 1, 2023

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Marcel Sabitzer Might Join Milan – But There’s Competition

Austrian player Marcel Sabitzer is set to leave RB Leipzig as his contract expires next year. The German team has reportedly left it up to the 27-year-old midfielder to decide where he wants to continue playing this year, setting a friendly price for his transfer. Reportedly, there are several major teams interested in signing him, including Arsenal and Real Madrid, but the frontrunner seems to be Milan. Nothing is set in stone, though, as the player made it clear that he would prefer a club that will play in next year’s Champions League.

An impressive career

Sabitzer made his senior debut with Admira Wacker’s second team in 2010, then moved on to Rapid Wien in 2013. His time with the team was brief – a little longer than a season – before he moved on to his current team, RB Leipzig. There, he started his time with a season-long loan with Red Bull Salzburg. Upon returning to Leipzig, the player truly became an asset, a reliable goalscorer. One of his career highlights happened last year when he scored twice against Tottenham Hotspur, helping Leipzig achieve an aggregate victory of 4-0 and secure a place in the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in the team’s history.
Among others, Sabitzer was named the Austrian Footballer of the Year in 2017, he scored the Bundesliga Goal of the Month this February, and was selected into the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season last year.

Competition

There are a number of teams competing for the player as we speak, partly because of the reportedly “friendly” price tag attached to him: Bild.de claims that the player is allowed to leave Leipzig for as little as €17 million. Among the teams that would love to see him join their ranks, we find Italian sides Milan and Roma along with Premier League side Arsenal that is also considered likely to have a shot at signing him. Even more so, because Sabitzer has, in the past, expressed interest in playing with a Premier League side.
Speaking to SportBILD last year, Sabitzer said he’d be open to moving to England in the future, albeit at the time he was very content with playing in Leipzig. “It’s not my motivation to move there and build a money bin. I like playing for RB”, he said. But at the same time, he admitted that the atmosphere in England was inspiring for him. “The way the fans read the game and cheer shows that they understand football,” said Sabitzer. “A tackle is sometimes cheered, as is a diagonal ball. I like watching the Premier League, and I can imagine that it’s fun to play there.”

Player profile:

Player Summary
Name:
Marcel Sabitzer
Date of Birth:
Mar 17, 1994
Age:
30
Height:
1.77 m
Citizenship:
Austria
Position:
Midfielder
Foot:
Right
Agency:
None
Ownership:
None
Contract Expires:
N/A
Current Club:
RB Leipzig
Joined:
Jul 1, 2014