GdS: Rashford, Walker and the third route – Milan’s mercato crossroads explained

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·15 de enero de 2025

GdS: Rashford, Walker and the third route – Milan’s mercato crossroads explained

AC Milan are waiting for a response from Marcus Rashford regarding their offer, and from there the January window could spring into life.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are facing a crossroads whereby each avenue has each has advantages and disadvantages. It remains to understand which direction to go, but we do know a couple of certainties already.

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The first: Milan have made an attacking signing the priority, so they are waiting for Rashford and Manchester United, knowing that finding a three-way agreement is not easy at all. The second: Kyle Walker would be happy to join the Rossoneri, and he too is waiting.

The ‘Rashford Road’

With Rashford, Milan would have an extra striker and a left winger, who can also play in other positions. If the Cagliari match suggested that Milan struggle against deep blocks, the Englishman could provide an added bit of inspiration.

With his arrival, the slots for non-EU and British players would be used up, so they would have to find the defender they are looking for elsewhere. Sergio Conceiçao would become even more important because the big enigma with Rashford concerns his attitude and application.

It would be a big challenge for the coach and one that he has to get right, because signing the 27-year-old would mean raising the wage bill quite a bit, and even then they have to convince the player and United to contribute significantly.

The ‘Walker Way’

Walker is more than a plan B. He has won the Champions League, the Club World Cup, six Premier Leagues and yet would gladly come to Milan. On paper, this is a perfect way to add experience, leadership and a winning mentality.

He is 34 years old and perhaps not in the best form, but Italy is not the Premier League because there is much less intensity in Serie A. Not only that, but Walker has still played 15 league games and two Champions League games this season, so he is far from useless.

With him, Milan would not solve their attacking problems – for that, they would have to look elsewhere – but they would have a new starting right-back and at the same time a useful alternative for the centre-backs.

Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images

The third route

Milan will decide soon, after the answers from Manchester. A third way, with investments in other players, is not impossible. For this reason, it is better to clarify the Noah Okafor situation after his move to RB Leipzig broke down.

The club will be able to freely change the list of 25 players usable in Serie A until the end of the January window, obviously while respecting the regulations on players who came through the Diavolo’s academy or other academies in Serie A.

From February 4, however, the possible changes will return to being only two. Rashford and Walker, in short, would technically be insertable in Milan’s Serie A squad (only one of the two can arrive) even without Okafor’s departure, but the club would have to leave a player off the list.