Football Italia
·3 February 2025
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·3 February 2025
Milan have officially announced the signing of Santiago Gimenez, have already added Kyle Walker to their ranks from Manchester City and now have an agreement in place with Chelsea over a loan deal for Joao Felix. Here is how Sergio Conceicao could line up with his new additions.
It has been a busy month in the January transfer window for the Rossoneri, who began their business by adding six-time Premier League winner Walker to their ranks on loan with an option to buy from Manchester City.
Gimenez arrived on the day of the Derby della Madonnina against Inter in Serie A, which ended in a 1-1 draw, and was officially announced as a new Milan player on Monday.
Santiago Gimenez Zlatan Ibrahimovic @acmilan
Alvaro Morata, meanwhile, has left to join Galatasaray, despite only joining the Rossoneri in the summer, while long-term servant Davide Calabria has left to join Bologna. His contract is up at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Now, Milan have an agreement in place to sign Joao Felix on a straight loan deal from Chelsea for the remainder of the season at a cost in excess of €5m.
Joao Felix of Chelsea arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Chelsea FC at Selhurst Park on January 04, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
With Calabria now gone, Emerson Royal out injured and Alessandro Florenzi not in the first-team picture, Walker is effectively a guaranteed starter at right-back for every game for the foreseeable future.
With plenty of experience playing in a back three as well as at full-back, Walker gives Milan a lot of balance when Theo Hernandez pushes forward at the other side of the defence.
Kyle Walkerlooks on during the Serie A match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 02, 2025. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
While Milan have not signed any new central midfielders this month, Joao Felix’s expected signing could mean that Tijjani Reijnders gets pushed back into a deeper lying role alongside Youssouf Fofana when the Portugal international plays. That means that Milan will have four central midfield options along with Ismael Bennacer and Yunus Musah.
If Joao Felix starts in his natural, central position in the attack, then Christian Pulisic could potentially revert back to the right wing. The USMNT star has also excelled when playing centrally this season.
Gimenez, meanwhile, is fairly straightforward, as he is expected to be the first-choice centre-forward following Morata’s departure over the weekend.
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Walker, Gabbia, Pavlovic, T.Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Joao Felix, Leao; Gimenez.