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AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli will rely on a very young trio for Thursday’s Europa League Play-Off game against Rio Ave, a report claims.

Milan face a crisis in attack for the one-off knockout game in Portugal, meaning Pioli will have to make a virtue of necessity. In the next two matches against Rio Ave and Spezia for that matter, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ante Rebic – the most lethal and dangerous forward – will not be available.

Ibrahimovic is currently being kept out after contracting Covid-19, while the Croatian is recovering from a dislocation in his elbow.


According to Tuesday’s edition of Tuttosport (via MilanLive), Pioli will have to resort to a very young but exciting attack, a brand new trident made up of Lorenzo Colombo (18 years), Rafael Leao (21) and Brahim Diaz (21).

The three forwards at Pioli’s disposal have a combined age of just 60, but they are not lacking in confidence and a desire to break through.

Colombo scored against Bodo/Glimt last Thursday and has shown his strengths, while Leao is back at full speed and seems ready to redeem his mixed first year with Milan. Finally, Diaz is coming off the back of a goal in Crotone, so there is reason to suggest that Thursday could be an exciting spectacle.
 
CorSera: One of €65m-rated defensive duo is expected to arrive at Milan – the back-up
Oliver Fisher
2 hours ago

Photo: Evect.fr



AC Milan currently have two centre-backs on their wish list as their desire to bring in a new defender has become a desperation, it is claimed.

With Alessio Romagnoli, Mateo Musacchil and Leo Duarte all currently unavailable for selection, the management must act swiftly to reinforce a department that is one injury away from being in complete crisis, with Matteo Gabbia and Simon Kjaer the only healthy options at present.

According to il Corriere dello Sport (via MilanLive), the Rossoneri have set their sights on Takehiro Tomiyasu of Bologna and Wesley Fofana of Saint-Etienne, one of which should be Milan’s new signing for the back line. The problem is, however, that both are considered ‘expensive’ targets.


Tomiyasu is valued at around €25-30m by the Rossoblu, and they are reported to have declined offers from foreign clubs this window, while Fofana has long been admired by Milan but there is talk of a €40m bid from Leicester that still may not be enough.

The third option remains Matija Nastasic, who would arrive on loan with an option to buy, but this is really just an emergency solution for Milan who are working on other fronts.
 
*The confidence, that was something he showed in particular at San Siro. For instance when he made Calabria to set up Bodø’s first goal.*

Jonas: “Yeah, that something he’s done all season I Norway with many players in the Norwegian Eliteserien. There are plenty of games where he’s been completely outstanding, so you can’t really decide in which game he’s been the best in.
“There are so many where’s he’s been completely sensational in. Bodø is miles ahead of the rest of the competition in Norway, I think they have an 18 point lead in the league, and that’s a lot because of Jens Petter Hauge.
“But it’s also very important to note that he has a great collective behind him at Bodø, it’s a team that’s been really, really good. There are plenty of players in that team that should be of interest to some big, big clubs after this season. Especially Patrick Berg.”
 
*Hauge is a left winger. Can you see him make an impact from the right wing as well?*
Jonas: “I believe he can do a good job there as well. But I mostly think that Jens Petter Hauge’s big strength has been his unpredictability.

As he’s right-footed on the left-wing, the defenders have a hard time knowing if he’s going to cut inside and shot/pass or advance towards the byline and put a cross in.

Hypothetically, Hauge together with Zlatan, who’s one of the best in the world, certainly better than Kasper Junker and Victor Boniface at Bodø, could be truly fantastical.

“What will be interesting to see is how Jens Petter Hauge will be deployed. To be effective, I think that he needs to have a lot of ball, to feel it, to have contact with it, to feel part of the game.

“At Bodø, he’s tended to drop deep to collect ball to feel it and connect with his teammates, I don’t know if he’ll have that freedom at Milan because they already have very dominant midfielders on the ball in Ismaël Bennacer and Sandro Tonali, to name two. And Zlatan also likes to drop down to get the ball.

So I’m not sure it will be the same at Milan, but he’s had that freedom at Bodø/Glimt at it’s worked out brilliantly – and I think Milan has seen that and are aware of it.”
 
Maldini:
Renewed Ibra
Redeemed Saelemaekers
Redeemed Kjaer
Redeemed Rebic
Signed Tonali
Sold Silva
Sold Paqueta
Secured Brahim
Sold RR
Sold Suso
Signed Hauge
Working on Tomiyasu

Improved squad with 30MM budget and offloaded dead weight, improving the finances too.

Legend on & off the field
 
Douglas would like to stay at Juventus. There’s only loan offers for Rugani, no new offers for De Sciglio. The negotiations for Khedira are still unsuccessful. (Romeo Agresti)
 
Radja Nainggolan is getting closer to Cagliari on a permanent deal. Talks ongoing with Inter for €12m as final fee. No bid from Galatasaray. 🚨 @DiMarzio @SkySport #Nainggolan #Inter
 
A breakdown of Milan's young new winger Jens Petter Hauge:

• 31 matches at left wing – 23 goals, 15 assists
• 20 matches at right wing – 4 goals, 10 assists
 
📹 @MilanInter241: Jens Petter Hauge just left La Madonnina Clinic. The player will soon have the fitness tests. Finally, he will go to Casa Milan to sign the contract.
https://t.co/5FBDSzWrja
 
AC Milan Reports (@ACMReports) Tweeted:
📰CM: Ismael Bennacer will be starting the match against Rio Ave in the Europa League playoff. Tonali will sit on the bench. https://t.co/MvDlWuo4ux
 
Juventus have a verbal agreement with Fiorentina president Commisso over signing Chiesa on loan with obligation to buy at €50m. (Sportitalia)
 
AC Milan ready to close €20m defender
Posted on September 29, 2020 by Rossonero


AC Milan have decided to focus on Bologna defender Takehiro Tomiyasu. The Japan international could cost around 20 million euros.
AC Milan have completed the sale of Lucas Paqueta to Lyon and want to accelerate the purchase of a new central defender. Coach Stefano Pioli needs a reinforcement in the back line and the club wants to please him as soon as possible.

Saint-Etienne’s Wesley Fofana was the top choice of the Rossoneri but he is about to join Leicester City. The French talent will continue his career in the Premier League for a figure of €35 million plus a bonus of another 5 million.

According to reports from Sky Sport, AC Milan have decided to focus on Takehiro Tomiyasu. Bologna have asked 25 million to sell Tomiyasu but the deal could be closed at around 20 million.

The Japanese defender is a ductile player, he knows how to play both as a central defender and as a right back. He comes from a very positive first season in Serie A and seems ready to take a leap forward and join an important club like AC Milan. As reported by acmilaninfo.com in June, AC Milan have been following Tomiyasu for a while and initially considered him as the perfect substitue for Calabria.

Tomiyasu will turn 22 in November, he fits perfectly into the Rossoneri’s transfer policy in terms of age and future potential. Despite being young and inexperienced, he showed good personality and good qualities in defending Bologna.
 
AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli still faces a selection dilemma ahead of Thursday’s game against Rio Ave in Portugal, a report claims.

The Rossoneri head into their Europa League Play-Off having already seen off Shamrock Rovers and Bodo/Glimt in the previous rounds, but face another knockout game against Portuguese opposition to determine whether they will qualify for the group stages.

Pioli has a depleted squad to choose from with defender Mateo Musacchio, Leo Duarte, Alessio Romagnoli and Andrea Conti not fit, while Ante Rebic is suspended (and injured) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic has Coronavirus.


According to Wednesday’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews), the only attacking player sure of a starting spot is Hakan Calhanoglu, who will play behind the striker.

As winger, two of Castillejo, Saelemaekers and Brahim Diaz will start the game, while it remains to be seen whether Rafael Leao or Lorenzo Colombo gets the nod up front, though the latter is ahead in the race at this stage.
 
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