Summer Mercato 2016
(02-18-2016, 02:04 PM)ACMILAN1983 Wrote: Luca, I'd definitely look to build on 4-4-2, I think we've found a good balance and the players are reasonably well suited to the system.

I would do the same, but Palermo's owner Zamparini just said that he will meet Berlusconi to discuss Vazquez transfer: his arrival would mean at 90% a different formation (I don't think Vazquez would play next to Bacca)
Vazquez can be an ideal support striker for Bacca operating just behind the Colombian. I don't think it necessarily means a change of formation.
(02-18-2016, 02:33 PM)prebozzio Wrote: I would do the same, but Palermo's owner Zamparini just said that he will meet Berlusconi to discuss Vazquez transfer: his arrival would mean at 90% a different formation (I don't think Vazquez would play next to Bacca)

Not sure we really need Vazquez if I'm honest, although I'm a big fan and suggested he'd be a good signing last summer. However, if he came, I think what nefremo said is right, where he'd play as a supporting forward to Bacca. The biggest variation from 4-4-2 in this situation is 4-2-3-1.

The worry is Berlusconi might take issue with this if he doesn't consider Vazquez a forward.
I think Barzagli is going to renew with Juve. They'd be silly to let him go. But then again they have Rugani itching to go. I want him more than anyone else with Romagnoli.... Calabria, Rugani, Romagnoli, De Sciglio is my wet dream.
I wouldn't expect Zapata or Alex to leave no matter what the rumour is (Mexes only it looks like). So I am not sure Terry or Barzagli will be 'needed' whether good move or not. I would say Barzagli could be good but Terry in new league at his age won't work out.
Vazquez I have seen only playing against us and no other time if I recall correctly, hopefully not at more than 10-15 million, don't see why any bigger numbers could be justified.
"Ancelotti wants Bacca at Bayern

Carlo Ancelotti wants AC Milan striker Carlos Bacca to replace Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich next season, with the player having turned down a move to China in the hope the Bundesliga giants will make a bid."

Player-exchange, Bacca for Lewandowski?  Sagrin
What did I miss? Why is he being replaced or needs to be replaced?
Guys I have a feeling Bacca will be sold. Honestly, I'm not against it either.. Big offers 60m+ are coming in for him and he's pushing 30. He's scoring goals, but in build up he's not the greatest. I know that's not what he's meant for, but he cant even use his left foot, at times it's frustrating. I feel like poachers aren't a necessity in modern day teams. I think the team itself will score more goals if we got someone more technical. He's been scoring but he's also messed up a lot of simple passes to teammates wide open in the box on attacking plays. I say sell him, Adriano and Menez. If we get 90m for them three we can buy someone to replace Bacca, and then Vazquez to replace Menez. Adriano is just a surplus right now anyways, if we only sold him I'd reinvest all his sale money into midfield. There's options we can consider, at least our team has value and we have something to work with. The last few years our most valuable player would've probably only got us 10-15m.

The question would be who is going to replace Bacca. There's a lot of players our there that I would consider, but who knows what they'll cost. Chelsea may not even make Europa League, would someone like Diego Costa leave? I don't see him being worth more than 50-60mln and I do think (despite his attitude and Chelseas poor season) that he's an overall better player than Bacca. Btw, where is Lewandowski going next season? Last I heard Man City wants him and are offering 75mln.

I don't mind shipping out Balotelli,Menez,Bacca,Adriano and bringing in Vazquez,Diego Costa, and a back up striker.. Pavoletti has been mentioned, but I'd prefer a young player with potential instead of a below par player.
I don't want Zapata to renew at all. He has already proven to be a disaster for us and I don't know why things would change with a new contract. I get that not everyone on the team can be a superstar, but Zapata is not even capable of doing work as a solid backup. The ideal backups are game changers and Zapata is a game changer for the other team. Players like Barzagli, Terry or Caceres are all free and would be much much better than Zapata.

Glik rumor is interesting to me. Players like him or Tonelli, as someone else suggested, would be terrific signing for us. Mammana is a great prospect that we should nab regardless, but he is very young and playing in Italy as a defender can be a major challenge for him. Ideally, we need a reliable partner for Romagnoli for the next couple of years and let Mammana mature at his own pace. And that is where guys like Glik or Tonelli comes into play. These guys are not going to be superstars, but they are reliable players in the Alex mode (but younger and has fewer problems dealing with speedy strikers) who can hold the fort down until the youngsters are ready. Donna, Roma and Mammana look great on paper, but trusting the center of your entire defense to guys who are so young can cause major problems for us.

Ibra rumor always gets me excited, because I love the player to death. But in all honesty, a partnership between him and Bacca will not work well in 2016. Today's soccer puts a great deal of emphasis on pace and space. Having two flat footed strikers who cannot split wide effectively and produce great counter attacks would absolutely kill the spacing of our game and allow opposing teams to defend easily. There is a reason Bacca became much more effective after Niang became a starter, and that is because of Niang's speed and ability to split wide gave Bacca more room to operate inside the box, something Adriano could not provide. Ibra would absolutely kill that and the two of them would be a logjam on every possession. If, however, we sell Bacca for some ridiculous amount of money and replace him with Ibra, then that could work out.

In terms of formation, I read somewhere that Miha said he still intend to go back to 4-3-1-2 at some point in the future, because he only switched to 4-4-2 due to Menez not being available to play. Seems like that is still the formation of his choice, so it is likely we might revisit that formation again next season.
Slifersd, I'm not sure why age is such a big deal to you many times. I remember us talking about Donnarumma a few months ago and you saying that he is too young to be a #1 right now so we should look for someone else. If the player is good, he is good. Simple as that. Age should not be a factor.

Mammana is 20yrs old....the same age of Romagnoli when he became a starter at Milan. I don't see ANY issues with those 2 playing together in the heart of the defense IF they have the quality. My opinion after watching Mammana play multiple times is that he IS good enough to play in Serie A and do very well. Sure that may turn out to be false....but I've seen the player and it's my opinion. But to discard this as a "possibility to cause major problems for us" because of age alone is something I don't agree with.

Now, I do think that Glik and Tonelli can be very good players for us. As a matter of fact I've been saying for around a year now that I was more impressed with Tonelli at Empoli rather than Rugani. I'm not sure how much these players will cost but I don't think we'll go and spend another 25mil on CBs (including Mammana). Alex has deserved a one year contract extension and Zapata (although deep down I agree with you that he is a disaster) is not bad for a 4th option CB. You are not going to find many 4th choice CBs better than him. And as a 4th choice, he probably won't play more than 3-4 times per year anyway (save for some disastrous injury situation). Alex can perfectly sit in as that bridge for Mammana to get acclimated. He is already here and he'll be free. I am not sure we should spend 10-15 mil on Glik/Tonelli because we think Mammana is young and he is not ready.

I guess what I'm saying is that, I'm so sure that Mammana will be a hit and the perfect partner for Romagnoli, that I can't justify spending extra money on other CBs....especially not because Mammana is 20yrs old. In theory, if we were to lose Zapata, Mexes, and Zapata...than like it or not we would have to spend on CBs because we simply won't have any. But out of those 3, I would gladly extend Zapata and Alex if we were indeed getting Mammana this summer.....and save whatever else is in the budget for a CM.