When an emerging talent hits the European market, bringing them to the club is difficult and AC Milan may now face that issue. In recent days, Milan has fallen victim to being beaten by another European heavyweight. The signing of impressive Dutch defender Juwensley Onstein seemed to be all done, with a signing expected. However, Barcelona swooped in and took over the deal at the 11th hour.
There has been a lot said about the right-back situation at AC Milan, and the topic may grow further in the final days of the mercato. Alexis Saelemaekers has been a revelation for Massimiliano Allegri, continuing his fine form in the position from his time with Roma. However, Milan look a little bare without the Belgian, and this creates an issue. Zachary Athekame and Fikayo Tomori can both cover the position if needed, but there is not really a 'proper' back-up for the wing-back.
After navigating the first three months with considerable difficulty adjusting to Serie A and some physical issues, Nkunku has come alive with four goals in the last 25 days: two against Hellas Verona, one against Fiorentina, and one against Como from a penalty. These are positive signs from a striker who - until two years ago - was the top scorer in the Bundesliga and on the radar of elite clubs like Bayern Munich.
Maignan's frustrations in all likelihood are not just as a result of the penalty in Roma but also Andrea Colombo's questionable refereeing in general and the other decisions throughout the campaign. In the, the Rossoneri have had more penalties called against them than any other team in Serie A: seven in total, one more than Napoli and Udinese, but five more than league leaders Inter.
One of the plausible reasons for his absence was to give Ricci more playing time, to get the former Torino captain fully into rhythm ahead of the decisive part of the 2025-26 campaign. After his 90 minutes against Fiorentina, the Italian midfielder played 21 minutes against Como, 73 against Lecce and 79 against Roma. In the last two matches, Ruben Loftus-Cheek replaced Ricci, not Fofana.
AC Milan may be five points behind their city rivals Inter, but they can not and will not give up on their title dream. As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write, Milan rarely lose, and that's their strength. Draws don't win league titles - Massimiliano Allegri's team have eight so far, the most among the top six - but their only defeat being in round one demonstrates Milan's resilience and consistency,
This evening, it has been reported that AC Milan have begun to make a move for a Croatian defender currently playing for Bayern Munich's youth squad. It is no secret that Milan are looking to sign a defender this month, but they are not just focusing on the first team. Already, they have tried to make a move for Juwensley Onstein, and with that move breaking down, they have begun to pursue another target.
There is a chance that AC Milan win the Scudetto this season, but they must start scoring more goals if they are to achieve the dream. A lot has been said about Milan's chances of winning the league this year. However, with the latest draw of the season against Roma, there are a few doubts about the level of output from Massimiliano Allegri's team.
Do you enjoy playing, even if it's a little uncomfortable? "It's a mental challenge. I've changed my methods and I'm in a different position on the pitch. This challenge has helped me grow as a player, to read the plays. "I've also been more decisive with the injury. We're managing it well, the staff and everyone is working really well. I'll be back to 100% soon."
AC Milan are expected to complete the signing of El Hadji Malick Cissé in the coming days, another source has confirmed. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported out of nowhere on Saturday that Milan are close to signing El Hadji Malick Cissé, a Senegalese central defender born in 2008 who played in the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar in November. Both Barcelona and RB Leipzig had been keeping tabs on him.
Christopher Nkunku is the favourite to start alongside Rafael Leao for AC Milan in their game against Roma tonight, and there is a tactical reason for that. The initial predicted starting elevens had Pulisic included up front, seeing as he's been one of the Rossoneri's best players this season. However, in his last two games, he has missed some pretty good chances and perhaps this has given Allegri some second thoughts.
The final training session took place at Milanello today ahead of the Sunday trip to Roma, and some news emerged about the team. The countdown continues to tomorrow night's big match between Roma and Milan, which will be played at the Stadio Olimpico at 20:45 CET. It could well be a game that defines how the rest of the season goes, given how tight it is at the top.