Month: August 2026

Aug 19

Diego Moreira joins from Strasbourg for a reported €65 million including add-ons

Diego Moreira joins Milan from Strasbourg. The left sided player who is considered versatile enough to play anywhere on the left and perhaps even as a right winger joins in another big spend for Gerry Cardinale and Milan.

The widely reported fee for the former Chelsea, Lyon and Benfica player is €50 million plus large addons of around €15 million. Chelsea will receive a portion of this fee because they have a sell on clause for the player. Milan may have agreed to a similar deal with Strasbourg. A salary of €3 million is mentioned but is unconfirmed.

The player appeared a total of 27 times for Strasbourg and scored four times. He also played a small role for Belgium at the 2026 World Cup.

Player Summary

Name :

Diego Moreira

Date of Birth :

Aug 6, 2004

Age :

22

Height :

1.79 m

Citizenship :

Belgium

Position :

Midfielder

Foot :

Left

Agency :

None

Ownership :

AC Milan

Contract Expires :

Jun 30, 2031

Current Club :

AC Milan

Joined :

Aug 19, 2026

His has signed on until 2031 and has chosen the number 22 jersey.

Aug 18

David Odogu joins Toulouse on a dry loan

David Odogu has joined Toulouse in Ligue 1 on a one year loan. It is said to be dry loan with no option or obligation on the part of the French team.

Player Summary

Name :

David Odogu

Date of Birth :

Jun 3, 2006

Age :

20

Height :

1.91 m

Citizenship :

Germany

Position :

Central Defender

Foot :

Left

Agency :

None

Ownership :

Toulouse FC

Contract Expires :

Jun 30, 2027

Current Club :

Toulouse FC

Joined :

Aug 18, 2026

Odogu joined Milan last August for a reported €7 million from Wolfsburg. The German center back rotated between Milan and the Futuro team and barely featured. His exit is similar in Athekame’s exit in that the team is allowing players who are not likely getting minutes under Amorim to leave and are better off fighting for space elsewhere.

Aug 15

Chukwueze and Ramos fire Milan to win in Poland

The starting 11 still featuring players that are surely leaving or at least not regulars meant that the team looked uncertain and the likes of Terracciano and Estupinan did not exactly help their cause with the team continuing to look less than organized at the back.

Milan fell behind very early to a Harry Maguire header and then fell behind again when Patrick Dorgu scored after Chukwueze’s equalizer.

The second half saw Milan score three goals with United looking just as shaky.

The game featured a Torriani penalty save from Bruno Fernandes. The young goalkeeper was getting another start with Maignan only now returning from post World Cup vacation.

Jashari had a good start before going to the bench for Modric but the main plaudits must belong to Chukwueze and Ramos with a nod to Cisse, scorer of Milan’s second. Loftus-Cheek completed the 4-2 win beating Senne Lammens with a well placed shot.

This was the last preseason friendly before the season starts at Torino next Sunday. As usual, a chaotic end to the transfer market looks to be on the cards.

Aug 14

Zachary Athekame joins Lyon on a dry loan

Zachary Athekame has joined Lyon in Ligue 1 on a one year loan. It is said to be dry loan with no option or obligation on the part of the French team.

Player Summary

Name :

Zachary Athekame

Date of Birth :

Dec 13, 2004

Age :

21

Height :

1.8 m

Citizenship :

Switzerland

Position :

Fullback

Foot :

Right

Agency :

None

Ownership :

Lyon

Contract Expires :

Jun 30, 2027

Current Club :

Lyon

Joined :

Aug 14, 2026

Athekame joined Milan last August for a reported €10 million from Young Boys. The Swiss right sided player scored two times in seven starts and 20 sub appearances for Milan. His exit is likely to be first of many movements in what remains in this summer’s transfer window.

Aug 13

Nkunku added to exit list? Questions remain with less than 3 weeks to go to end of transfer window

In a sign of normality, Milan’s transfer business has almost stalled. Estupinan who was targeted as one of the first to be sold has remained with the team with his supposed destination, Aston Villa, moving on to other targets. But of course the Ecuadorian is not the only surplus player.

Amorim had identified a reported list of players that he wants to evaluate with many names like Tomori, Fofana, Gimenez and Loftus-Cheek nevertheless slated for definite exits. Others like Musah and Odogu as well.

Fast forward to less than 3 weeks left in the transfer window and reports say that Nkunku is on the market. Earlier in the summer and indeed up to the second week of August all indications were that Nkunku would occupy one of the 2 in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system. Things may have changed with a new meeting between the coach and Cardinale today the 13th.

A busy, chaotic and prone to failure final 19 days of the transfer window is upon us.

Added to all the usual is Maignan and Rabiot’s apparent extended vacation – the two are due to arrive at Milanello on August 16th instead of the reported 12th. This adds another set of questions for a team that has little time for answers.

Aug 08

Unprepared, incomplete Milan fail in Indonesia

Milan lost 0-3 against Chelsea in preseason action in Jakarta, Indonesia. The team failed to have a shot on target and seemed unprepared and certainly incomplete.

Every summer features calls for more and quicker action in the transfer window. This summer with a new coach whose approach is wholly different to the previous one the changes are of course needed and faster. The relatively quick Ramos and Gila deals addressed immediate needs but the squad is incomplete.

When a team operates in a non-existent football offseason there is no time to waste. For example the off season started with the World Cup in progress. For example with two weeks left before the season starts World Cup players (Maignan and Rabiot in this case) are still on vacation. Players like Estupinan, Musah and Loftus-Cheek who are apparently and justifiably on their way out are starting in preseason matches with the season kickoff close.

One more match against Manchester United left but all in all one should not expect too much from this summer’s friendlies. Come September first, not earlier, we will all know the team that will either adapt and succeed or flop under Amorim.

Aug 05

Nkunku scores late penalty for a 1-1 draw against Inter in preseason action in Australia

Milan drew for the second time in preseason matches, the first a 2-2 tie in Glasgow against Celtic. After Federico Dimarco had opened the scoring with questionable Milan defending it was Nkunku, brought down in the box, who converted the awarded penalty.

This derby was played in Perth, Australia with of course a very much experimental lineup, however the match saw the return from holidays of Leao, Ramos and Modric. The three returnees all came on as subs. The starting 11 featured Camarda, Cisse and Loftus-Cheek as an attacking trio with Chukwueze, Fofana, Musah and Bartesaghi in the middle. Although the game started well for Milan it is safe to say that the middle four are anything but secure and surely won’t be starters with the likes of Modric and Rabiot in the lineup. The wingbacks will remain an issue for this formation that is very much preferred by Amorim and neither Chukwueze or Bartesaghi inspire a lot of confidence. Tomori, Gabbia and Pavlovic at the back will need to get into the new rhythm that is going to be wholly different than last season with Allegri. Gila’s arrival will help with Tomori perhaps on the way out.

The next preseason friendly is in three days only, against Chelsea in Indonesia.