Certainties, loanees, targets and talents: No.9 role the subject of reflection for Milan | OneFootball

Certainties, loanees, targets and talents: No.9 role the subject of reflection for Milan | OneFootball

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SempreMilan

·10 November 2023

Certainties, loanees, targets and talents: No.9 role the subject of reflection for Milan

Article image:Certainties, loanees, targets and talents: No.9 role the subject of reflection for Milan

There seems to be only one certainly for AC Milan in the centre-forward role which will continue beyond the current season, and he goes by the name of Olivier Giroud.

Our colleagues at SempreMilan.it have published a round-up of all the news regarding the striker position amid the expiring contract of Giroud, the lack of certainties offered by Luka Jovic, the players out on loan and talents to bet on for the future.


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The evergreen veteran

Giroud has decided to extend his adventure with Milan. The French centre-forward, who has amassed seven goals and three assists in 14 matches so far this season, has reached an agreement with the Rossoneri for the renewal of his contract for another season.

The new agreement provides for a small reduction compared to the current €3.5m net salary that he receives and is good news for Milan, who confirm their desire to focus on a mix of youngsters and veterans to continue competing at high levels in Italy and Europe.

The 37-year-old, who has already won the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Champions League and the World Cup, is still hungry for success and wants to give the Rossoneri club its fans further satisfaction.

Article image:Certainties, loanees, targets and talents: No.9 role the subject of reflection for Milan

Giroud arrived on a free transfer from Chelsea in the summer of 2021, has proven to be a fundamental element in Stefano Pioli’s tactical plans, both as a starter and as an alternative to Zlatan Ibrahimovic in past seasons.

The returning loanee

With the renewal of Giroud, Milan will ensure the presence of a senator in the dressing room, a charismatic leader and a striker of experience and quality.

Giroud, however, will no longer be a permanent starter in the XI week-in week-out because of his age. He will share the task with Lorenzo Colombo – who will return from his loan at Monza but this time to remain with the Rossoneri – and a new signing.

Colombo netted a match-winning brace for Monza at the weekend and has three league goals for the season, showing that the loans he has been on have helped him mature. Giroud will have a more marginal position next season therefore.

The new starter

Who will join the aforementioned duo? Some of the names that come up most often are those of Jonathan David and Serhou Guirassy, ​​both French-speaking strikers who play in foreign leagues, specifically Ligue 1 and Bundesliga.

The former has struggled so far in 2023-24 with just four goals and two assists in 16 appearances in all competitions with Lille, having scored 24 times in the league alone last season.

The latter is Stuttgart’s top scorer with 14 goals in eight league games, leaving himbehind only Harry Kane in the Bundesliga scoring charts, and he has a release clause that allows him to leave Germany as early as January for a sum of less than €30m.

Milan have already started negotiations with both players and their respective clubs, but it will not be easy to reach a positive conclusion because Lille want €40m for David amid poor form and Stuttgart would like to keep Guirassy at least until June, when they could receive higher offers from other interested teams or might have bought themselves time to extend/amend his deal.

Another name on Geoffrey Moncada and Antonio D’Ottavio’s list is Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, a player who Rafael Leao also likes a lot.

The future talent

The management have not lost sight of the future either as they have Matija Popovic on their wish list, a Serbian prodigy who is generating interest from top European clubs. His contract expires in December with Partizan Belgrade and he is in the sights of the Rossoneri, who have already had a decisive meeting in Milan with his entourage.

Popovic is considered one of the best talents in world football, capable of covering various roles in attack such as attacking midfielder, striker or left winger. The young Serbian has good technical skills given his physical size (193cm), while he has netted 21 goals in 25 matches for Partizan’s youth team.

Article image:Certainties, loanees, targets and talents: No.9 role the subject of reflection for Milan

This piqued the interest of clubs such as Barcelona and Real Madrid but Milan, however, moved before them with determination to try land the teenager transfer.

According to the latest reports, the Rossoneri have reached an agreement with the player for a five-year contract, with a salary of €500k per season. The transfer could be made official as early as January, when Popovic turns 18 and can be signed by Milan.

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