A one man club Franco Baresi joined Milan in 1977 after a brief trial alongside his brother at Inter. He played a total of 719 games for Milan before retiring in 1997. He won the scudetto six times and the Champions Cup/League three times. He represented Italy at three World Cups, finishing first in 1982 and losing in the final in 1994 and third place at Italia 90, totaling 81 caps. Milan’s number 6 jersey is retired in his name.
I would say that the GOAT phrase can be most aptly apply to Baresi.
Sankhoun Diawara joins from Troyes with “eyes on the future”
Sankhoun Diawara joins Milan from Troyes. His team won the 2025-2026 Ligue 2 season and are promoted to France’s top division. The player himself described at physical and good in the air was not a regular for Troyes’ promotion winning side and on Milan’s site he is listed under the new “Eyes on the future” category. However he is expected to stay with the first team potentially as a vice Pavlovic.
Player Summary
Name :
Sankhoun Diawara
Date of Birth :
Jan 13, 2006
Age :
20
Height :
1.9 m
Citizenship :
France
Position :
Central Defender
Foot :
Left
Agency :
None
Ownership :
AC Milan
Contract Expires :
Jun 30, 2031
Current Club :
AC Milan
Joined :
Jul 29, 2026
His has signed on until 2031, his transfer is reportedly for a €2 million fee and he has chosen the number 13 jersey.
Christian Comotto and Francesco Camarda signed until 2031 to bolster youth commitment
Two highly rated 18 year old players have now signed on until 2031. Christian Comotto and Francesco Camarda are now under contract for another 5 years as the team and Cardinale himself release statement committing to keep and nurture younger players. Time will tell if Milan will stick to this pledge.
Player Summary
Name :
Christian Comotto
Date of Birth :
Apr 25, 2008
Age :
18
Height :
1.85 m
Citizenship :
Italy
Position :
Midfielder
Foot :
Right
Agency :
None
Ownership :
AC Milan
Contract Expires :
Jun 30, 2031
Current Club :
AC Milan
Joined :
Jul 24, 2026
With the national team, under Maldini’s leadership, attempts to reset the Azzurri he will need help from Serie A teams. Handling young Italians will not only benefit the national setup but will help Serie A teams, including financially and also to meet player quota rules. Homegrown should mean more than sending teenage players to seemingly random Serie B, C or D teams and expecting growth.
Player Summary
Name :
Francesco Camarda
Date of Birth :
Mar 10, 2008
Age :
18
Height :
1.89 m
Citizenship :
Italy
Position :
Forward
Foot :
Both
Agency :
None
Ownership :
AC Milan
Contract Expires :
Jun 30, 2031
Current Club :
AC Milan
Joined :
Jul 24, 2026
Amorim is currently giving a long look to many players including Camarda and Comotto and they both have a chance to train and stay with the team. Mattia Liberali’s exit to Catanzaro in 2025 and loss to Como this summer, after reported problems with Ibra in particular, should be a thing of the past.
Luka Modric agrees to one year extension to continue at Milan
The Croatian of course joined Milan last July on a one year deal that was ready to be extended based on the player’s own decision. After spending time with his family following Croatia’s exit from the World Cup and speaking to Gerry Cardinale and Amorim he has now agreed to stay on for one more year. Modric will reportedly retire from national team duty this fall at the age of 41. He will rejoin his teammates at the end of July following the conclusion of his vacation.
Pre-season matches start on July 25 against Celtic, Inter, Chelsea and Man United
With pre-season in progress and reportedly full of intense training this weekend will bring the first of four pre-season matches planned for Amorim and Milan. The team – for now still minus the World Cup participating players – will head to Glasgow, Scotland to meet Celtic. Inter in Perth, Australia will follow with players slowly returning and then Milan will heard to Jakarta, Indonesia to meet Chelsea. The overseas pre-season matches will conclude in a somewhat unexpected destination where Milan meet Manchester United. The team will face off with Michael Carrick’s men in Wroclaw, Poland. As every summer Milan has and will have non-official matches at the milanello grounds.
Below is the list of overseas matches with Milan/Central European Time start time available as of writing.
Celtic – Milan July 25 2026 16:00CET Milan – Inter August 5 2026 12:00CET Chelsea – Milan August 8 2026 14:00CET Manchester United – Milan August 15 2026 16:45CET
Focus on transfer window exits with Estupinan the closest to leaving, withothers to follow
Estupinan is apparently very close to Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s team are expected to sign Estupinan to fill in for Lucas Digne’s departure to PSG.
Loftus-Cheek, Bondo, Fofana, Bennacer and Gimenez are almost certainly deemed surplus now. Chukwueze, Musah and Tomori may leave as well. Leao’s case remains in doubt as a big bid plus his nod would be required and may not arrive, minus the ever present Turkish league rumours. There are current whispers that Pulisic might not want to stay, any movement on this will alter Milan’s summer transfer market more substantially.
Modric is one player who is apparently ready to stay one more year, as has always been the wish of the team. The player himself is expected to give the answer any day now.
The team will at the very least hope to not incur capital gains losses on any of the departures. Football transfer capital gains are calculated by using the transfer fee paid and divide it by the length the contract. For example Estupinan was brought from Brighton for a reported €17 million on a 5 year contract one year ago. To sell without losses Milan needs to find a buyer for €13.6 million or more (17/5=3.4 and 17-(1×3.4)). For Gimenez, as another example, this would be €22.5 million (30/4=7.5 and 30-(1×7.5)).
Milan’s 2026-2027 season and Amorim era start as new coach takes charge of first training session
Approaching the middle of July means that the almost non-existent football offseason is over. Today the coach and Milan players, minus those involved with their national teams at the World Cup, started arriving at the milanello training ground. Cardinale made an entrance via helicopter, taking a chapter from the Berlusconi playbook.
Gerry Cardinale arriving at milanello using a helicopter
Amorim gave a quick hello to the gathered players (listed below) in English. Goncalo Ramos, still on post World Cup vacation, made an appearance before returning to holiday.
The focus shifts to training and the new era of course. Among the questions are where next for the transfer market? A central defender and a center forward have arrived so which other positions are to be filled now? Will Cardinale remain as visible and present now that he has stated he retains the final say on all money spent or will he return to the US and work in the background? Will exits like Leao’s materialize quickly and generate expected revenue? Gimenez is likely unwanted but his World Cup injury complicates his availability on the market. Can he be sold for minimal losses on his €32 million fee paid only 1.5 years ago? Pulisic, on the other hand, is wanted but also got injured in the US. The American will ask for a raise from his €4 million salary with his contract ending next summer. What will be his status and position on the pitch? The same question is raised about other players but perhaps more so about Saelemaekers and a possible switch to the left side.
The players at Amorim’s disposal today will not all be here in September of course. Zeroli, Bondo and Bennacer are not at milanello at all and have to find a new team but Estupinan will likely be the first exit otherwise, with Aston Villa needing a full back a deal may be possible soon. Tomori may leave especially if another defender is signed in addition to Gila. Fofana and Loftus-Cheek may be allowed to leave for replacements better suited to Amorim’s style and preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. Who will these be? Various wide players are linked and rumoured including Destiny Udogie, Guela Doue and others.
Rated young players like Camarda, Kostic, Cisse, Idrissi and Comotto are in what is called an evaluation as are returning loanees Musah and Chukwueze. Early guesses are Chukwueze has a good chance at staying for the wing.
Lots to follow between now and the start of the season at Torino on August 23 and the closure of the summer 2026 transfer window on September 1 8PM CET for Serie A.
I answered a few questions covering Milan plus football in Canada on AC Milan Inside.
Topics of course included the current state of Milan, Amorim’s arrival and football in Canada (where I live). I concluded that, despite the crisis of the recent months and years, it is perhaps time for optimism.
Amorim presented by Gerry Cardinale at first news conference as Milan coach
Ruben Amorim was presented as Milan’s new coach after arriving the day before and visiting Casa Milan, Milan museum and then milanello.
Among the questions he answered was his refusal to make direct comments on individual players but hinted at Pulisic being an important player, being happy with Ramos’ arrival and wanting to evaluate all players including Chukwueze and Musah.
Cisse and Comotto are set to get a chance too as he evaluates all players who weren’t at Milan last season.
He, of course, admitted that leading Milan is a big challenge but he has learnt from his days at Manchester United.
Amorim said he respects Allegri but his ideas are different and he always wants the team to win the ball back quickly, be entertaining and try to score.
He has spoken to Modric and is hoping to have him at Milan for a second season. Perhaps not to play every game however.
He wants to be honest with all players and hope the fans can see his ideas on the pitch from day one.
