Which players do Milan need to sign in January?
Milan already have one new signing in the bag before the January transfer window even opens, but Massimiliano Allegri’s side still have pressing business to see to in the coming weeks. Here’s a look at what the Rossoneri need in January.
Allegri already has his new striker
Milan are expected to formally complete the signing of Niclas Fullkrug on loan with an option to buy from West Ham United as soon as the January transfer window opens.
The 32-year-old arrived in Italy before Christmas, had mis medical in Milan on December 23 and began training with his new teammates on December 24. It is likely that he will go straight into Allegri’s matchday squad to face Cagliari on the evening of January 2, the same day that the transfer window opens.
Reports claim that Milan will not pay a loan fee to sign Fullkrug from West Ham, and that their option to buy clause will be in the region of €11m to €13m.
The Rossoneri have been on the lookout for a new striker to add to their ranks for several weeks. Allegri tends to line up in a 3-5-2 in San Siro. Santiago Gimenez, currently unavailable through injury, is the only ‘traditional’ no.9 in the squad. Christopher Nkunku was signed in the summer, but is seen as more of a second striker. Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao have also been regulars at centre-forward this term.
Maignan is Milan’s biggest priority
The most important piece of business that Milan can see to in January is settling Mike Maignan’s expiring contract. The 30-year-old is now into the final few months of his deal, which will be up at the end of June, and Milan risk losing the stopper on a free transfer if he does not commit to a new contract in the near future.
Not only would Milan lose one of the strongest goalkeepers in the division, if not in Europe if Maignan were to depart, they would likely also have to spend a significant chunk of their summer budget on a replacement.
Recent updates claim that Maignan has been offered a three-and-a-half year contract with an option to extend, with a net salary in the region of €7m per season including bonuses. If Maignan were to sign on those terms, he would be about equal with Rafael Leao as the club’s highest earner.
What else do Milan need?
Fullkrug should provide Allegri with a full complement of attackers. The Rossoneri are fairly well stocked in midfield as well with Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot, Youssouf Fofana, Ardon Jashari, Samuele Ricci and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in their ranks.
Alexis Saelemaekers and Davide Bartesaghi have done an impressive job at wing-back this term, so an investment out wide is not really necessary in January either.
If there is one area to strengthen for Milan, it might be at centre-back. There have been a few names mentioned in the Italian press in recent weeks, including an unlikely move for Juventus’s Federico Gatti, while Milan Skriniar and Eric Dier have also been mentioned as options in January. Chelsea’s Axe Disasi is also rumoured to be available in January.
Lastly, Milan are also expected to complete a deal for 18-year-old striker Andrej Kostic, but it seems unlikely that he will be thrown straight into the first-team, particularly with the arrival of Fullkrug.